My pyramid: the foundation
I like to think of my career as a sturdy, long-lasting Egyptian pyramid which can stand the test of time due to the years of hard work and dedication. I began my university journey fresh out of high school when I enrolled in a Bachelor of Psychological Science full-time. I quickly learnt that lecturers and tutors won’t hassle you to get your work in on time and they won’t be walking around the lecture theatre looking over your shoulder to make sure you’re copying the notes from the board.
My first year mainly consisted of on campus lectures and tutorials which helped with getting to know my peers, lecturers and my way around the campus and the numerous facilities available. My second and third year was mainly delivered through distance education which enabled me to work 20 plus hours a week, participate in sport and even volunteer some of my time at a local outreach program along with maintaining a full-time study load.
Studying by distance doesn’t mean you’ve been abandoned or you don’t have the same experience or access than those going to campus.
I loved the freedom of watching a lecture whenever I wanted and watching it again and again if I needed too.
The options available for assistance are endless such as Skyping the Technology and Services Assistance Centre (TaSAC) and discussing course questions online with peers and lecturers.
My pyramid: going up a level
A huge achievement in my academic career was completing my undergraduate degree. I had successfully laid my foundation for a successful career pyramid! Upon completion of my degree I had to decide whether or not to continue on with the Bachelor of Psychological Science (Honours) course, find employment or pursue another pathway.
Being only 20 when I graduated, I felt as though I needed life experience and needed to expose myself to the industry a bit more. This is what led to enrolling in the Graduate Diploma of Domestic and Family Violence Practice.
I am currently half way through my first semester and it has truly opened my eyes to amazing work that is being done in this area. It can be quiet confronting delving in to the research and finding some minority groups are severely affected by Domestic and Family Violence. Those who identify with more than one minority group in particular are severely disadvantaged in terms of their access to services and other resources. There is also a lot of research being conducted in regards to men’s behaviour change courses in response to staggering statistics about protection orders being violated and a high number of men reoffending.
A highlight of this course is that the students and lecturers come from a variety of academic and career backgrounds which makes for interesting discussions and also highlights some major gaps and flaws within the practice areas.
My pyramid: up and up I go
Upon completion of this course, I have no firm idea of what I area I would like to pursue a career in. In the photo pictured, a group of us were contemplating what avenues to pursue with a three year psychology degree. After some research we created a mind map to visualise all the possible avenues we could take and it turns out there’s more than what we thought.
I am currently looking for employment in a number of areas such as child safety, probation and parole and domestic and family violence. However, the more I look for employment, the more opportunities I find to grow my pyramid whether it be volunteering programs or furthering study.
My career pyramid would not be possible if not for the high standard of information delivery and flexibility offered at CQUniversity.
CQUniversity is committed to providing all staff and students with a safe and peaceful place to work and study. CQUniversity’s commitment to personal safety and well-being means we are proud to support the national Universities Australia “Respect. Now. Always.” Campaign. This campaign highlights the determination of Australia’s universities to ensure that our students and staff are safe from violence, sexual assault and sexual harassment. To learn more about the campaign please click here.
If you or someone you know are experiencing any difficulty and wish to seek support from CQUniversity please contact us here.
For more information about the Graduate Diploma of Domestic and Family Violence Practice at CQUni, visit cqu.edu.au, phone 13 27 86 or visit your nearest CQUni location.
