Noel Griffiths had always wondered what he could have done had he stayed at school and studied hard. Almost 30 years later he is about to find out.

Noel is a Central Queensland University 2003 STEPS graduate and this week was offered a place to study a Bachelor of Learning Management at the Gladstone campus.

Noel said he had always done well at school up until year eight when, he says, things went off the rails a little.

“My Dad really wanted me to quit school and start paying my own way, so I quit after year 10 and started working,” said Noel.

Noel went on to work in a number of jobs including an alluvial mine, the railways, cattle properties and Ergon energy.

“The call out work at Ergon wasn’t the best for family life because I was always missing out on doing things with the kids, so I quit that and started working with one of the local tree plantations.

A decision by Noel’s wife to re-enter the workforce paved the way for Noel try his hand at study.

He had heard of CQU’s STEPS program through friends. STEPS is a course that helps people like Noel, who haven’t finished high school, to develop the skills and confidence needed to start tertiary study.

Noel enrolled in the full-time day program and graduated at the end of 2003 with newly discovered maths, language, computer and study skills.

“At times you felt like giving it all in, but it was a really good bunch of people and we all kept each other going. I made a lot of good friends from it all,” he said.

Now Noel has been accepted to study for a teaching degree with CQU and when he finishes that he intends to begin teaching in primary schools.

As for the future, Noel thinks anything is possible.

“I’m kind of thinking that when our kids have all left home that my wife and I might be able to travel around Australia and the world with me teaching wherever I can,” said Noel.

Places are still available for the full-time and part-time night STEPS 2004 classes. Anyone interested should contact CQU Gladstone on 4970 7277.