Haley Fenn is not in the habit of breaking promises she makes to her husband, but on this occasion she just might.
Last year was chaotic – working at Tamworth Regional Council full-time, studying part-time at UNE, the complications of COVID lockdowns and home-schooling three children (aged 5, 9, and 13), and then, on top of it all, moving house.
“When I completed the Undergraduate Certificate (UC) in Professional Development, I made a promise to my husband that I would never study again,” Haley says with a laugh.
“But now … it has opened up all sorts of possibilities. Maybe not this year or next, but the year after I think I might pursue further study. I would like to consider what other qualifications might be useful within the scope of my current work.”
As the Coordinator of Out of School Hours Care and the Tamworth Regional Youth Centre, Haley deals with a variety of people on a daily basis – from parents and community members to council staff, young people and service providers.
When she embarked on the UC at UNE, specialising in Culture and Communications, she saw it as a chance to dip her toe in the water of tertiary study.
“I had previously worked in recruitment and had my own family day care business before joining council,” Haley says.
“I had completed a Diploma of Early Childhood Education and a Certificate IV in Frontline Management, but I thought a customised Undergraduate Certificate would suit my workplace needs. I was hoping to gain some skills that would help me to progress in my career. But I did doubt that I would be able to complete it.”
And the result of her one-year, online efforts?
“The course has been invaluable to my job; it was amazing,” Haley says.
“I will be forever grateful for the knowledge and skills that I have gained. It has given me self-awareness as well as the professional development that would have taken me several years to amass at work.
"The four lecturers, and friends I made in our classes, were incredibly insightful and it was a great opportunity to network. It has given me different perspectives, and I have grown through the experience personally and professionally.”
Sisters Haley Fenn and Tamra Clark have been valuable supports to each other as they both study online from Tamworth.
Sisters in study
When Haley also discovered that her younger sister Tamra Clark had begun studying Nursing at UNE online from her home in Tamworth, too, the pair formed their own sibling support group.
“We have been on this study path together,” Haley says. “We have not had anyone in our families go to university before, so it was something new to both of us.
“At first I was daunted, but once I got underway and got to know people and worked my way through the units, I found study very rewarding. Tamra and I have been able to support each other and that has made it more enjoyable.”
While Tamra has another two years to complete her Bachelor degree, Haley says the shorter UC was ideal for her needs.
“I knew it was 12 months of hard work and focus, and then I would be done,” she says. “Short courses like the UC are ideal for someone in a similar situation, working full-time and juggling family life.
“But I would absolutely study again if I got all my ducks in a row – that’s one promise to my husband I’d be prepared to break. Hopefully, in the near future, UNE will see me again.”
