Two Highlands TAFE students have been named in the top 50 students across the state for the 2017 Tertiary Preparation Certificate (TPC) course.
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Both Bronwyn Beard and Holly Copland-Fish took part in the course at the Moss Vale campus last year.
The TPC is a Year 12 equivalent qualification that gives students a mark similar to the HSC’s ATAR.
For Bronwyn, the TPC gave her a way into a psychology degree at the University of Wollongong.
It had been 20 years since she last studied but Bronwyn had made the decision she wanted to do psychology.
“It’s been an interest and a passion [of mine] for years and it just took having a goal that got me back through the door,” she said.
After leaving high school in the early 90s, Bronwyn was accepted into ANU.
“I went to uni to do an arts degree because I got the marks. But I didn’t have a plan.”
Instead she took a year off, then came back and completed a TAFE traineeship in hospitality.
“When I did go to uni I felt a little lost. It wasn’t for me at that time and so I went back and was working as a chef for many years.”
Bronwyn said she enjoyed the TPC and was excited to find out she was one of the top 50 performers in the state.
“We [Holly and I] worked hard. It was nice to have that recognised at the end.”
Along with English and math subjects, Bronwyn said the course prepared “us to be students in the digital age”, which was something new to Bronwyn.
At 40 years of age, there was a big age gap between Bronwyn and the other students but she said they all enjoyed each other’s company and had a great time during the course.
“I [also] thought the teachers were amazing. They were so supportive and helpful and I got a lot out of them not just in the coursework but as people.
“The librarians [too] – they’re so willing to help you that I didn’t ever feel lost. I felt confident I could do it because I had them here with me.”
With at least six years of study still ahead of her for her current degree, Bronwyn said it was great to be able to do the history and sociology components at the Moss Vale Campus.
For the psychology aspects, she has to travel to Wollongong.
TAFE NSW Education Pathways Head of Department Deb Crowden said TPC students were most often students who weren’t happy with their ATAR and wanted to resit the HSC, or current members of the workforce who wished to change career and gain entrance to uni.
