How Going to Uni Gave Debbie the Confidence to Redefine Her Future

"I’m just so excited and thrilled for the opportunities I’ve had."

This post is presented in partnership with Western Sydney University.

Whether you’ve just finished your high school exams, entering uni as a mature-age student for the first time, or returning to study, the idea of taking on tertiary education can be really daunting.

When starting a new challenge in your life, having the right support and heaps of passionate people around you is one of the best ways to help you get through.

This is exactly what Debbie Cannon found when she decided to study design (visual communication) at Western Sydney University.

Debbie tells Student Edge how she used to be a stay at home mum but decided to return to working in a field she was really enthusiastic about.

"When I decided to join the workforce again after quite a while of being a stay at home mum, I realised I needed to upskill," she says.

"I thought to myself, ‘Why don’t I just upskill somewhere where I’m passionate?' So, I chose design because that is an area that has always been an interest to me."

As Debbie explains, she chose Western Sydney University because they had the resources to help her develop her skills.

"I did a couple of entry-level courses at TAFE and I gained some really valuable experience there, but the thing that made me choose Western was that I wanted to delve deeper into design and get better at my craft,” she says.

“I realised they had the resources and support that were going to take me to the next level of where I needed to go."

Like many students, Debbie was really unsure about what to expect at uni. However, she found that the tutors at Western were approachable and passionate about their subjects, so she was able to get the support and motivation she was looking for.

"There’s a bit of fear and trepidation around that having never studied at university as a mature-age student, it’s all quite daunting," she says.

"The teachers are so approachable, they come from a background of industry experience themselves and they’re actually passionate about what they teach and so they pass that onto their students."

Debbie points out how Western gave her the flexibility she needed as a working and studying mum.

"You can do it full-time or part-time, but I have to say, you can do everything in-between as well," she says.

 "There have been some semesters where I’ve studied the full load and there’s been other semesters where I’ve done one subject.

"I’ve been able to make the degree work around my own needs both with career, work and family and it’s been really good."

At Western, Debbie was also able to access a variety of experiences and opportunities both domestically and internationally.

"I’ve had a mentorship industry partnership with an organisation called Semi Permanent. There I’ve had the opportunity to do digital storytelling and there’s always things being advertised that you can apply for just outside of the degree," she says.

"I travelled overseas as a student and did a short internship for a month, and that was absolutely amazing.

"To look at where I came from when I began and where I was able to go to just with what’s available through Western, [I have] no regrets. I’m just so excited and thrilled for the opportunities I’ve had."

On her internship, Debbie travelled to Timor-Leste and strengthened her skills in visual storytelling, videography and photography.

"I learned so many skills in regard to filming and editing. We were all assigned two stories each, one for Australia and one for Timor-Leste, and we were interviewing students from Timor-Leste and it was just—the people there changed me forever," she says.

Thanks to her time at Western, Debbie is now confident that when she graduates next year, she will have everything she needs to start her dream career.

"They give you all the tools you need to get out there and get the career," she says.

Take your next step and discover your unlimited potential at Western. Find out more here.

Header Image: Supplied