When COVID hit, the retail and hospitality industry took a nosedive, and like many people working in those sectors, I suddenly found myself rethinking my future. I’d been in management roles for years, but the instability made me stop and ask: Is this what I want long-term? My mum has a nursing and medical background, and she suggested using the communication and people skills I already had to pivot into aged care. You could say caring runs in the family – my aunt was head of maternity at Fremantle Hospital for over three decades. In the end, COVID turned out to be the turning point I didn’t know I needed. 

I started working at Peninsula Villages as an Aged Care Assistant (ACA) through a traineeship, and that’s where I first heard about ET Australia. A friend from hospitality had completed her Cert IV in Ageing Support with ET Australia and highly recommended them. When I discovered that Peninsula Villages worked directly with ET Australia, I enrolled in my Cert III, and that decision changed the entire trajectory of my life. 

‘From day one, the training felt different. My trainers weren’t just teachers – they became mentors who truly cared.’ 

From day one, the training felt different. Lynda Kelliher, my Cert III trainer, quickly became not only an incredible teacher but also a mentor and friend. I was lucky enough to study onsite at Peninsula Villages, which meant I could learn the theory in class and immediately put that learning into practice on the floor. One week we’d study palliative care; the next I’d be working alongside experienced ENs, RNs and other care staff, using that knowledge directly with residents. The education team here was incredibly supportive, and ET’s students who didn’t work onsite were welcomed just as warmly. We learned together, practised together and grew together. 

There were definitely moments that challenged me. Administering medication was the thing I was most nervous about. Handling inhalers, nebulisers and medication charts felt daunting at first, even with the theory under my belt. But between Lynda’s patience and the guidance of the onsite RNs, it eventually clicked. Having that support around me made all the difference. 

My Cert III experience was so positive that I went straight into the Cert IV in Ageing Support the following year with another fantastic trainer, Fiona Le Cren. And then I completed my Cert IV in Leisure and Health. Each qualification opened new doors and helped me discover strengths I didn’t know I had. 

‘Studying with ET Australia changed the entire trajectory of my life and led directly to the job I have today.’ 

Today, I work as a Care and Support Partner at Peninsula Villages, and I absolutely love my job. It’s the perfect mix of care and lifestyle support. I help residents with meals, showers and daily care, but I also get to run bingo, organise garden walks, play games and drive the bus for social outings. Bringing joy, connection and dignity into someone’s day is incredibly rewarding, and I feel genuinely lucky to have found a career that fits me so well. 

‘If you’re thinking about enrolling, my advice is simple: do it. I wish I’d done it years earlier.’ 

One of my proudest moments was being invited to speak at an ET Australia alumni event. Standing in front of about 150 people and sharing my journey felt surreal. But it reminded me just how far I’ve come. ET Australia gave me the skills, confidence and support to build a career I’m proud of, and I’m grateful every day that I made the change when I did. 

If you’re thinking about enrolling, my advice is simple: do it. I wish I’d done it years earlier. With the right support network and trainers who genuinely care, you can build a career that’s meaningful, stable and full of opportunity. I’m now looking at my next step – possibly becoming a Leisure and Lifestyle Coordinator or even exploring disability or mental health support down the track. There are so many pathways from here, and ET Australia can open the door to all of them.