Students give study a second chance

MELANIE Armstrong-Millar is proof everybody can have a second chance if they reach out and take it.

Miss Armstrong-Millar completed her Higher School Certificate (HSC) at a school in the Blue Mountains last year but was unhappy with her results.

She did not get the marks she wanted to get accepted into the university of her choice so she decided to have a second go and enrolled in TAFE to complete the tertiary preparation course. 

The course is the TAFE equivalent to the HSC. 

“When I did the HSC it didn’t come around at the right time for me,” she said.

“I enrolled in the course because I wanted to maximise my options.”

Classes started on Monday and, so far, Miss Armstrong-Millar has noticed a significant difference in the delivery of classes, compared to school.

“They’ve really eased us into it,” she said.

“It’s not as full-on as school.”

William Armfield enrolled in the course as a mature-age student because he was sick of “wasting his time”.

He finished school 17 years ago and picked up odd jobs here and there, but wanted to make his eight-year-old son proud of him.

“I want to have a job that will support us, I don’t want to be short on money,” he said.

“I want to study astrophysics if I’m good enough, but as a fallback I might do archaeology.”

Troy Romeo is another mature-age student who wanted to refine his study skills.

Mr Romeo left school in year 9 and said he had always regretted the decision. He enrolled in the course to challenge himself and prove he could do it.

He is not sure what he wants to do when he finishes the 12-month course. 

“So far it’s been excellent, “ he said.

“The teachers are very helpful and the classes are planned well.”

He said it was a challenge being in a class with mostly younger students, but found it an advantage in some areas.

“It does help in some ways because I have life experience,” he said.