Becoming the change you want to see

Watching the care and dedicated support that elderly residents receive at the nursing care facility she volunteered at inspired Hervey Bay graduate Kelly Fuller to change careers and become one of the silent warriors who make our community a better and more caring place – a carer who supports and looks after our ageing and those with a disability with respect and dignity.

This outstanding 2022 Student of the Year recipient – an award that recognises Kelly’s academic and extracurricular achievements, work with her peers and teachers and dedication to her studies and career goals – has her sights firmly set on a bright future and promising career in the aged care and disability services industry.

“I was absolutely thrilled with this very unexpected award – it was an honour just to be nominated – as it’s reinforced my sense of achievement,” Kelly said.

Not content with basking in the success of this accolade, Kelly is already now happily working as a disability support worker in Hervey Bay and not surprisingly, is passionate about finding the solutions and ensuring those in her care get the quality of living and support that she truly believes they deserve.

“Caring for others comes naturally to me and I’ve always felt that I would want the same quality of care for myself,” Kelly said.

“I love helping others and as a mum myself, I like that my work is serving as positive role modelling for my little boy and showing him that you can be the change you want to see.”

This is not only great news for Kelly’s local community, it’s also a testament to her success, commitment and hard work through her Certificate III Individual Support (Disability CHC33015) studies.

While Kelly already has her hands full, she’s certainly not slowing down any time soon because she’s already re-enrolled in a Certificate IV in Disability (CHC43115) at TAFE Queensland which will keep her busy for most of 2023.

TAFE Queensland Acting General Manager (East Coast), Mark Reilly, congratulated Kelly on her achievement and said he is incredibly proud of all TAFE Queensland East Coast region students graduating this year.

“I am always impressed with the quality of candidates our Fraser Coast campuses consistently produce every year,” Mr Reilly said.

“Each and every one of our Fraser Coast graduates have worked so hard and invested a significant amount of time in their studies so it was an absolute privilege being able to celebrate with our graduating students and pay tribute to them and their families.

“As our students enter the next chapter of going into the workforce and chasing their career goals, I’m excited about their potential and what each and every one can achieve, locally and even globally.”

We can see why Kelly’s five year-old son is in awe of mum – we certainly are! And we can’t wait to see what future success awaits Kelly as she continues with her studies, work and life goals.

Kelly is an everyday example at TAFE Queensland of how you can define your greatness when you combine focus, persistence and passion and a willingness to improve your career opportunities by investing in further studies and training. Find out more at https://tafeqld.edu.au/.