CQUniversity Australia
 

Engaging Indigenous people within Higher Ed

CQUniversity's Office of Indigenous Engagement recently hosted a visit from the Oodgeroo Unit of Queensland University of Technology (QUT), at Rockhampton Campus.

Professor Anita Lee Hong, Director of the Oodgeroo Unit, and Lone Pearce, Project Officer, met with Office of Indigenous Engagement staff to discuss employment issues and best practice models for engaging Indigenous people within the higher education sector, including governance matters.

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Back from the UK dreaming of new career 

Published on 20 January, 2010 

Earl Robinson has embarked on a career and life change thanks to CQUniversity's STEPS (Skills for Tertiary Education Preparatory Studies) program.

He has recently completed his first term of study in the University's Bachelor of Psychology program after his introduction to university through STEPS.

PhotoID:8254, Earl Robinson (left) enjoyed his time at the University studying the STEPS program.
Earl Robinson (left) enjoyed his time at the University studying the STEPS program.STEPS is a 13-week Accelerated or a 26-week Extended/Flex/External program, designed to instill in its adult learners the skills and confidence necessary to embark on tertiary study.

Free of charge*, STEPS covers academic communication, mathematics, computing, independent learning skills, study skills and library/information literacy skills.

Although originally from Rockhampton, Earl lived in the UK for 20 years working as an antique dealer - a job that he says was getting harder all the time.

After his wife passed away, he decided it was time to return home to family with his teenage children.

"I saw an ad on the television about STEPS and decided that was the course I would take.

"I thought it was time to do something for myself ... so I enrolled."

Unknown to him at the time, his sister had also graduated from the program some years before.

Earl completed the program in the first term of last year and then began studying psychology mid-year.

"STEPS gave me the confidence to start uni. It got my mind thinking again and it opened my mind to new things."

"It also made me question things more ... made me think outside the box."

Looking to the future, Earl hopes to enrol in the clinical masters program after graduating from the undergraduate program.

Thanks to his experience through STEPS, it has opened his children's eyes to university as well.

"I encourage them to consider university as an option. The important thing is to realise that there are options out there."

CQUniversity will hold an information session for people interested in enrolling in the STEPS program in 2010.  An information and testing session is planned for Wednesday, February 3, from 9am in Rockhampton.

Interested people should contact Pam McMahon on 4930 9059.

* STEPS is offered free of tuition and textbook charges.