Kathleen Stebbins

For 23 years Kathleen had been working, predominantly as a cook in a childcare centre.

After working with and talking to the environmental health officer (food auditor) who visited the childcare centre, Kathleen realised this was the career she really wanted to pursue. In order to become a food and safety officer she would have to obtain a Bachelor of Science. She originally dismissed the idea of further education because of the time and money required as well as her family commitments. "One major hesitation I had was how it would affect my family and whether I could afford to be out of the workforce for that amount of time, but I found that we made adjustments and it wasn't that expensive."

Kathleen was unsure of how she would handle university, and in many cases wasn't eligible for entry into a university course. Kathleen decided to enrol in the Certificate IV in Science at Holmesglen, a preparatory and bridging course, because it "offered a pathway to university in a supportive and encouraging environment."

As a mature age student Kathleen was unsure of how she would cope with a group of younger students. "Even though I was the oldest person doing the course I didn't feel particularly out of place… it wasn't as competitive as high school… I found there was a lot of support between the students and I found that very encouraging."

After successfully completing her Certificate IV in Science at Holmesglen, Kathleen is now studying a Bachelor of Science at Swinburne University.