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“My Story - Paert 3”
Episode 3
I realised many teachers knew very little about computer hardware or software, and yet they were assigned to teach the subjects. I felt rotten to my core, but I decided to do my utmost to change it, and I believe I did improve the quality.
I kept my qualification and background a secret, but not for long. My fellow teachers soon discovered that I was more than just a programmer. Since then, my teaching hours grew, and the number of subjects broadened.
When the state government amalgamated the technical colleges and adult education into Tafe, and upgraded some colleges to merge with universities, great opportunity just knocked on my door.
The Tafe I started with, Eastern Tafe, became Swinburne Tafe, and had campus in Wantirna, Croydon, Lilydale, Hawthorn and Prahran. I was teaching in all the campuses, and during one term, I taught in 4 campuses in a day.
At this point in time, I was only teaching Microsoft Office software, and MYOB accounting software. No one knew that I was a Licensed Estate Agent yet.
I had a bad reputation being very strict, and some students reported me to the coordinators. However, that infamous reputation also landed me to spread my wings to teach in Chisholm Tafe as well as in Swinburne University. Some colleagues recommended me to their friends in those institutions.
One day when I was walking to my class at Lilydale campus, I met someone familiar at the corridor. He was my former teacher when I was studying my real estate licence course at Prahran. He recognised me.
In fact he should because of two unforgettable incidents. One evening, he was stuck in getting the Rental Management software working, and I helped him overcome the problem so that the class could continue. I was the first student granted an exemption for the subject.
The second incident was that I failed my favourite subject, Property Valuation. It was one of the easy subjects which involved mainly simple mathematical calculations. I paid $50 to have the paper re-marked. Whoever marked the paper marked it halfway, and therefore I failed. However, I finally I got back the High Distinction I worked so hard for, and the money was refunded.
This former teacher just resigned from Swinburne Tafe because he found a new full-time job. After wishing him good luck and bidding him farewell, I quickly rushed to the Real Estate course coordinator office and booked an appointment to discuss that vacancy after my class.
That's it. I was in.
REIV did not have the facility to conduct training licence course, and contracted Swinburn Tafe to run it. I was at the right place at the right time, and I became a trainer for potential licensed estate agents
Moving forward a couple more years, I was also teaching at Chisholm Tafe, I was offered an off-campus assessor position for the real estate representative course. That was really lowly paid job, of my own doing, because I spent enormous amount of time providing a lot of feedback to the students in writing! I did not want to do things by halves.
Every few years, I return to the industry and work hands-on with my industry peers for a year or so, in order to keep my marketing skills and knowledge of the legislation up-to-date..
Thank you for reading.
PS. I shall write more about my Teaching experience in my other group, SFC Education, Teaching, Learning.
I enjoy sharing my story with you, especially the younger readers. Life is full of challenges, but you must be prepared before you take them on, or else you will fail. You must also learn to seize the moment, because opportunity does not wait for you or may not come knocking on your door the second time.
“My Story - Paert 3”
Episode 3
I realised many teachers knew very little about computer hardware or software, and yet they were assigned to teach the subjects. I felt rotten to my core, but I decided to do my utmost to change it, and I believe I did improve the quality.
I kept my qualification and background a secret, but not for long. My fellow teachers soon discovered that I was more than just a programmer. Since then, my teaching hours grew, and the number of subjects broadened.
When the state government amalgamated the technical colleges and adult education into Tafe, and upgraded some colleges to merge with universities, great opportunity just knocked on my door.
The Tafe I started with, Eastern Tafe, became Swinburne Tafe, and had campus in Wantirna, Croydon, Lilydale, Hawthorn and Prahran. I was teaching in all the campuses, and during one term, I taught in 4 campuses in a day.
At this point in time, I was only teaching Microsoft Office software, and MYOB accounting software. No one knew that I was a Licensed Estate Agent yet.
I had a bad reputation being very strict, and some students reported me to the coordinators. However, that infamous reputation also landed me to spread my wings to teach in Chisholm Tafe as well as in Swinburne University. Some colleagues recommended me to their friends in those institutions.
One day when I was walking to my class at Lilydale campus, I met someone familiar at the corridor. He was my former teacher when I was studying my real estate licence course at Prahran. He recognised me.
In fact he should because of two unforgettable incidents. One evening, he was stuck in getting the Rental Management software working, and I helped him overcome the problem so that the class could continue. I was the first student granted an exemption for the subject.
The second incident was that I failed my favourite subject, Property Valuation. It was one of the easy subjects which involved mainly simple mathematical calculations. I paid $50 to have the paper re-marked. Whoever marked the paper marked it halfway, and therefore I failed. However, I finally I got back the High Distinction I worked so hard for, and the money was refunded.
This former teacher just resigned from Swinburne Tafe because he found a new full-time job. After wishing him good luck and bidding him farewell, I quickly rushed to the Real Estate course coordinator office and booked an appointment to discuss that vacancy after my class.
That's it. I was in.
REIV did not have the facility to conduct training licence course, and contracted Swinburn Tafe to run it. I was at the right place at the right time, and I became a trainer for potential licensed estate agents
Moving forward a couple more years, I was also teaching at Chisholm Tafe, I was offered an off-campus assessor position for the real estate representative course. That was really lowly paid job, of my own doing, because I spent enormous amount of time providing a lot of feedback to the students in writing! I did not want to do things by halves.
Every few years, I return to the industry and work hands-on with my industry peers for a year or so, in order to keep my marketing skills and knowledge of the legislation up-to-date..
Thank you for reading.
PS. I shall write more about my Teaching experience in my other group, SFC Education, Teaching, Learning.
I enjoy sharing my story with you, especially the younger readers. Life is full of challenges, but you must be prepared before you take them on, or else you will fail. You must also learn to seize the moment, because opportunity does not wait for you or may not come knocking on your door the second time.
