For someone who never thought they would go to university, graduating feels surreal, says Caitlin Robb.
Caitlin will graduate with a Bachelor of Education, endorsed in Early Childhood Education (ECE), on Rāhoroi Saturday.
“As I reflect on my journey to this point, I could not be prouder of myself,” she says.
Caitlin’s involvement with the ECE sector started about four years ago.
“How I got into ECE is rather interesting. After giving building and baking/cheffing a go and discovering they were not careers for me, I decided to become a receptionist while I decided my ‘where to next’.”
A position came up at an ECE centre in Ōtepoti Dunedin which would see her filling in for someone on maternity leave.
“I decided to apply as I had always enjoyed spending time/being around children.”
The possibility that everyone working at the centre would need to hold an ECE qualification was raised not long after she started.
“This would mean I would need to become qualified, and the only way to do this is through studying.”
Caitlin enrolled at Otago because she liked the idea of attending physical classes, having a set timetable and being able to interact with other students.
She continued to work at the ECE centre while studying.
“It was great to be able to put theory into practice when I was at the ECE centre.”
Receiving support from the kaiako (teacher) was another bonus. Towards the end of her degree, however, Caitlin found it a little harder to keep working the same number of hours, knowing studying was her ‘full time job’ that needed to come first.
Her time at Otago has equipped her with so much more than just a degree, she says. She feels she now has new skills to carry and apply as she walks through life, she has gained confidence and now believes in herself.
“I now have the ability to play an active role in nurturing and fostering children’s learning and development in their early years.”