Gavin Ruckert, a born and bred self employed Rockhamptonite who’s married with two boys, says two years ago he never even thought about going to university.

He starts his first full year at Central Queensland University (Rockhampton) this week.

“It changed my life,” he says.

As orientation week gets underway at CQU this semester (the week of March 4th), administrators are seeing changes in the student body that reflect the changing economic/lifestyle requirements of living in Central Queensland.

A full time student, Ruckert, 41, is taking four courses at CQU, majoring in Sociology. It’s a long way from the pest control and fish & chip businesses he ran. It’s also a huge financial sacrifice for his wife and family, but “with work drying up” Ruckert explains it was “time for a new direction.” And he says the support he gets from the CQU staff and community is wonderful.

Ruckert’s not alone. 23 of 30 new full time attendees at CQU’s special program for mature age students are men. The program, called STEPS (for Skills for Tertiary Education and Preparatory Studies) helps ANYONE over 19 prepare for tertiary study.

STEPS coordinator Jenny Simpson calls it a “real switch” for a program that originally started in 1986 to mostly help a handful of women improve their education and career possibilities.

Currently, 400 students participate in all five regional CQU campus STEPS programs.

For more information about starting university studies contact your local CQU campus in Rockhampton, Emerald, Bundaberg, Gladstone or Mackay.