If it takes a big heart to shape a little mind then Tarlia Foschi has a heart the size of Griffith.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Ms Foschi, 20, an educator at Goodstart Early Learning in Driver, has been lucky enough to discover her professional calling at a young age.
But the path to her passion wasn’t always so smooth.
Despite being a solid student, Ms Foschi walked away from her high school studies two weeks into year 11.
“School is not for everyone and it was certainly not for me, but I had a real fear about leaving without a Higher School Certificate,” Ms Foschi said.
Ms Foschi always had a natural affinity with children and the arrival of her baby brother Zavier unlocked a true gift.
“I always wanted to be a hairdresser or a drama teacher but when Zavier came along, I was just fixated on watching him grow and reach milestones,” she said. “I knew then that I wanted to be in a career where I was always working with kids.”
In 2015, Ms Foschi enolled in a Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care at TAFE and went on to complete her Diploma.
‘It was the best decision I’ve made in my 20 years of living,” Ms Foschi said.
“Within a matter of weeks of attending TAFE, I knew it was where I belonged.
“I am eternally grateful for the knowledge, skills and inspiration of my amazing teachers at TAFE NSW. Even though I have moved on, they still offer me guidance and advice.”
She was a voracious learner, topping her class and winning the prestigious 2017 TAFE NSW Riverina Student of the Year, beating out thousands of other students from across the region.
As the demand for childcare places continues to surge, Ms Foschi said TAFE NSW graduates were perfectly positioned to ride the jobs wave.
“I feel blessed to work in childcare and it’s so much more than childminding,” she said. “You’re providing experiences and education for a young child in their formative years and it’s very satisfying. You’re playing a role in their cognitive, social and emotional development.”
And in an added bonus for prospective childcare students, the NSW Government has committed to covering about 75 per cent of the course fee for the Certificate III in Early Childhood Education Care at TAFE NSW delivery locations across the state, representing a $5000 saving per student.
It comes as the government aims to help deliver 7000 new childcare workers that the state is expected to need over the next three years.
Griffith-based TAFE NSW Head Teacher of Early Childhood , Bobbie Whittaker, said employment outcomes for TAFE NSW graduates were exceptional.
“There are new childcare centres popping up everywhere and they are screaming out to employ people,” she said.
“It’s a wonderful job if you have a desire to want to help others and have a positive impact on a child’s life. And no two days are ever the same in childcare.”