Former baker and businessman Adrian Element has cooked up a fresh career in nuclear science and thanks the flexibility of CQU's access and distance education systems for his life change.

Mr Element started out as a baker before developing his own business (Ausmade Foods) supplying pastry fillings to wholesale bakeries.

Photo courtesy ANSTO website

However, the long hours prompted the desire for a change of lifestyle so Adrian and his wife Georgina sold up and set off on an extended holiday along Australia's east coast.

When Georgina became pregnant, Adrian was prompted to make a decision about his career future and started researching options to study science.

He said CQU was an ideal stepping stone because he was able to gain credit from his trade certificate to access a Bachelor of Science degree.

"That gives blokes like me a chance to further our education," he said.

"I have fond memories of sitting on the beaches in far north Queensland with a textbook in one hand and my fishing rod in the other.

"The distance ed program was quite a satisfying way to study, especially as when I was in Rockhampton, Emerald, and again in Mackay, I was able to attend lectures or the video link of the lectures. Plus I was able to do my exams while I was in Sydney, so it worked very well for my then nomadic lifestyle."

After a year of study via CQU distance education "on the road", the Elements found they were expecting a second child and decided to settle in Wollongong and Adrian was able to transfer his studies to Wollongong University.

Soon afterwards, Adrian was attracted to a paid industry placement at the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation and now works as an instrument technician at ANSTO's Lucas Heights facility, tracking the presence of the radioactive gas radon in the atmosphere.

He is completing his chemistry degree at Wollongong University.