Twenty four-year-old Will Elton was homeschooled and was not sure of his next steps, as the further study was a little daunting. All Will knew was that he wanted to find a secure job and change his situation so that he could earn a steady income and gain his independence.

Will completed the necessary qualifications at TAFE NSW to finish year 12 and started applying for part-time retail jobs but was not having any success. Determined not to give up, Will decided he needed to gain a qualification to help him make the next step so he enrolled in the Certificate III Retail at TAFE NSW Campbelltown.

From being homeschooled for many years to stepping onto a learning facility with students from varying backgrounds and ages, was an intimidating experience for Will.

“I found it a little hard to transition from being homeschooled to attending classes with other people. Everything was different, it was such a different environment for me,” said Will Elton.

A few months into his studies, Will applied for a job at Woolworths Macquarie Fields and gained successful employment as a casual employee as part of the Click and Collect team.  

“I’m really enjoying my job. A lot of what I learnt in my course has helped me in my job, it may seem like a little thing but knowing how to rotate shelves properly is a skill I learnt in my studies and I was able to apply it in my job.”

Will enjoyed his study last year so much that he is now completing the Certificate IV Retail Management as he has aspirations to one-day move up into a management role at Woolworths.

“I think studying is underrated, it’s been a really big benefit to me. The Certificate III Retail helped me get a job, my teachers are supportive and caring – they wanted me to succeed.”

According to the Department of Jobs and Small Business, Retail Trade employs approximately 1,284,700 persons (ABS trend data), which accounts for 10.1 per cent of the total workforce. Over the past five years, employment in the industry has increased by 3.6 per cent.

To find out more about studying retail at TAFE NSW visit www.tafensw.edu.au or phone 131 601

Media contact: Teresa Lane, TAFE NSW Media and Communications Business Partner 9796 5476, mobile 0412 773 887