TAFE NSW Port Macquarie student Jack McIntosh won the prestigious Career Pathways, Aboriginal Languages and Employability Skills Student of the Year award at the TAFE NSW Excellence Awards ceremony in Coffs Harbour.
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Mr McIntosh enrolled in a Certificate II in Further Study Skills at TAFE NSW Port Macquarie in order to achieve his dream of joining the Australian Defence Force (ADF), which requires Year 10 level maths and English.
“I struggled at school, and found it difficult to concentrate in class. I chose TAFE NSW as it was an adult learning environment, which ended up being the right choice because I was able to do very well.”
Mr McIntosh’s hard work and commitment has paid off: he was successful in his application to the ADF, and is currently in training. Only 50 applicants were selected from a pool of 4,000 applicants nationwide, and he credits the interview skills he learned at TAFE NSW with his success.
TAFE NSW proved to be the perfect learning environment for Mr McIntosh, but he faced some difficult life challenges while studying.
“I was only 17 at the time, and had to deal with homelessness for part of my studies. At times I was couch surfing, and had no access to transport,” explained Mr McIntosh.
“Even when it got really tough, I kept focused on my goal of joining the Defence Force, and with the help of my teachers, who would sometimes stay after hours to help me complete my assessments, I was able to successfully complete the course.”
Siandra Putica, TAFE NSW Communication, Education, Employment and Support teacher, described Mr McIntosh as a diligent and focused student who completed all set tasks with enthusiasm and interest.
“In addition to his own work, which often had to be completed in less than ideal conditions, Jack had a positive effect on his fellow peers; helping them stay focused, and encouraging them to persevere during their own challenges.”
“Jack kept going, even in the most difficult of circumstances which would have stopped most people in their tracks,” Ms Putica said.
“He is a wonderful example of TAFE NSW continued success in changing our students' lives and helping them redirect into successful career pathways.”