Erin likes to say she has had two great vocational loves so far. One is psychology. The other is cake. She grew up in Adelaide, where her interest in human behaviour began early. An aunt who worked as a psychologist captured her imagination, and when her high school offered psychology as a senior subject she enrolled immediately and never looked back.
At the same time, Erin had a strong creative streak and pursued training as a pastry chef. For several years she worked in that world, crafting elegant cakes and pastries. Eventually, the pull back to psychology became too strong to ignore. She enrolled with UNE, combining her interest in people and her earlier curiosity about mental health.
While studying, Erin gained hands‑on experience in schools as a School Services Officer and child and youth worker, including supporting children in communities that had experienced bushfires. She saw first hand the complexity of school environments and the impact that skilled adults can have when they are present at the right time.
Midway through her 5+1 Master of Professional Psychology, Erin’s life shifted again when she welcomed two children. She decided to pause her internship year to focus on her family. After some time at home, she looked for a way to stay connected to her professional identity and prepare for a return to schools. The Graduate Certificate in School Psychology offered the right fit.
“I have taken time off to be at home with my children and plan on completing my internship year soon,” she explains. “In the meantime, I decided to pursue the Graduate Certificate because I hope to return to working in schools. I felt it would support that work down the track and keep my mind stimulated, rather than just the overstimulation that can happen with parenting.”
Erin felt well‑grounded by her Master’s program, but she describes the Graduate Certificate as the place where she could “dig deeper into the how and why” of school psychology. It helped her move beyond general competencies and understand exactly what is expected in school settings.
By the end of the course she felt much more confident about:
- Managing risk in the context of school policies and procedures
- Collaborating with teachers, school leaders and parents
- Working within whole school wellbeing frameworks
- Handling the more challenging, less clear cut situations that arise in staffrooms and corridors
One example that stands out in hindsight involves staff conversations about students. In previous roles, Erin sometimes felt unsure about when and how to step in if confidential or sensitive information was being discussed in shared spaces.
“In hindsight, I can see how this course would have helped me feel more confident navigating tricky circumstances,” she reflects. “For example, knowing how best to protectively interrupt staff who are discussing confidential or sensitive information about students in the staffroom.”
Erin completed the Graduate Certificate alongside family life, and found the workload manageable because of the thoughtful way it was structured.
“The lecturers were excellent and very supportive of students balancing life with study,” she says. She appreciated the clarity of assessment instructions and the strong link between tasks and real school psychology work.
Although she has not yet returned to employment, Erin is confident that the qualification will help her stand out when she begins applying for school‑based roles. She sees it as a strong signal to employers that she has made a deliberate, strategic investment in school psychology.
For provisional and early career psychologists who are uncertain about taking on two extra units in Trimester 3, Erin’s advice is gentle but firm.
“I would say that this course really helped my confidence in dealing with the more challenging parts of working in a school environment,” she says. “I can see how it would have been incredibly helpful in my past school roles.”
Outside of study and planning her next career step, Erin has grown to appreciate a slower pace of life. When she finds a spare moment, she is likely to be gardening, crocheting, baking or working on the family’s hobby farm. She makes time for family and friends and enjoys the sense of community that comes with it.
Her story is a reminder that professional growth does not stop when you take time out for parenting or other responsibilities. With the right support, it can continue in ways that set you up for a more confident return.
If you are preparing for a return to schools or planning your next step after fifth year, explore how the Graduate Certificate in School Psychology can support your confidence and career.
