She has just been enrolled in the prestigious Transit Dance Company, a dance ensemble based in Melbourne.

Courtlyn has also recently been on the Pulse Dance Tour of the USA with Shannon’s Dance Studio, where she got to learn and perform with the best of the best in the dancing world for nine weeks.

The opportunity in melbourne is made much sweeter considering her struggles throughout High school.

“I moved to Griffith at the start of 2016. I started school here to complete my HSC in dance, it was why we moved here,” Courtlyn said.

“It was very rough, I had a lot of experiences with bullying, it was a really tough year for me, and I wasn’t coping. I didn’t feel as though I had any choice but to drop out.”

Courtlyn had long dreamed of becoming a professional performer but the words of her former teachers kept ringing in her ears.

“Ever since I was little, my teachers always told me I needed a back-up plan,” Courtlyn said.

Looking for an escape from her “high school hell”, she and her mum sat down to discuss her options, and looked for an alternative.

Her turn-around came in the form of a unique course at TAFE NSW Griffith, allowing her to reset her life, complete her schooling and pursue her passion for dancing.

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She said the pivotal moment for her was enrolling in a Certificate II in Career Preparation at TAFE NSW, a pathway program aimed at arming students with the skills to succeed in further training – and in life.

Courtlyn said she reveled in the learning environment, graduating last month at a gala ceremony in Griffith.

TAFE NSW teacher Sue Delves said it was gratifying to see students like Courtlyn transform their lives through the TPC courses.

“Courtlyn was a delight to teach and very dedicated to her studies,” Mrs Delves said.

She studied alongside an eclectic group of students, who through misadventure or misfortune had not completed their HSC.

“It was a bit like going to school – we did all the subjects like English and maths – but they were relevant to the real world,” Courtlyn said.

“For example, we didn’t do algebra but we learned about taxes and bills.”

“We were all from different backgrounds and different learning levels but everyone supported each other, and all of the teachers were amazing.”

“School’s not for everyone and a lot of people don’t know there are other options.”

With her “back-up plan” in her back pocket, Courtlyn gained the confidence to chase her dream of having a career on the stage.

To find out more about relevant TAFE courses, visit their website at www.tafensw.edu.au or call Course Information on 131 601.