Originally from Indonesia, Astrid came to Prace already possessing a rich and varied professional background. She studied communications at university before building a career in radio broadcasting. Later, she launched her own jewellery business which she’s successfully been running for the past 13 years while also working in retail. 

Interested in expanding her skillset and broadening her career path, Astrid’s journey into education support began with a simple online search.  

After hearing about Prace through a local mothers’ Facebook group, she decided to explore further, eventually enrolling in Prace’s Certificate III in School-Based Education Support. 

“Prace ticked all the boxes,” she says.

“It’s close to home, and the one day a week structure was a big factor, and the whole course is under a year so it’s genuinely achievable…[I] needed something that would actually fit around my life rather than upend it. It felt designed for people who have other commitments, which made it a realistic option rather than just a nice idea.” 

“The first week was a great way to ease in, very much about getting to know each other. It gets a bit more intense once the assignments start coming, but not in an overwhelming way, it’s more just the adjustment of suddenly having things due when you’re also juggling work and life,” she recalls.  

“What surprised me was how manageable the rest of the course actually was. It’s well-paced, and by the time you’re deep into it, it starts to feel very doable.” 

Support played a big role in Astrid’s experience. 

“There’s a weekly student support group for anything related to the course, assignments, or placement, so you never felt like you were navigating things alone.  

Our lecturer brought a wealth of real world experience into every class, it never felt like theory for the sake of it. You could tell they genuinely cared about where each student ended up. The lecturers were knowledgeable and approachable, and Prace has a strong reputation which actually made finding a placement much easier than I expected.

Learning Beyond the Classroom 

While Astrid enjoyed being back in a learning environment, one part of the course stood out above the rest: placement. 

“That’s where it all becomes real,” she says.  

“You’re actually in the job, working with kids, and everything you’ve learned in class gets put to the test. I learned so much during my placement, more than I expected.” 

The course also helped her build new skills, particularly in working with children in a structured, classroom environment: 

“My past work experience gave me a solid foundation, but working with children is a different skill set entirely. I had to find my feet in a new way. It took a few weeks into placement before I really found my stride. The support from my lecturer, Steve, and my classmates made a huge difference in that.” 

“Being a mum of two, I thought I had a reasonable handle on kids, and that did help. But being in a classroom is a different thing altogether. I built a lot around patience and reading the room quickly, supporting students with different needs at the same time, and knowing when to step in and when to let a teacher lead. 

It gave my confidence a different kind of grounding, less about instinct, more about knowing why I was doing what I was doing.” 

From Placement to Employment 

Astrid’s hard work quickly paid off. After completing her placement, she was offered a role at the same school. 

“I was hired almost immediately by the school I’d been placed at. I’m now working there one day a week, which is a great start.” 

She believes completing the Certificate III in School-Based Education Support qualification at Prace made a real difference. 

“I know that Ed Support is one of those roles where you don’t technically need a qualification but I don’t think that’s a good enough reason not to get one. More and more schools are now requiring it anyway, so it’s better to get ahead of that,” she says. 

“This course gave me real knowledge, not just on the job guesswork. You’re learning from lecturers who have years of experience in the field, and that context is invaluable. I walked into that school knowing why I was doing things, not just winging it. I think that’s part of why they hired me.” 

A Rewarding New Direction 

When Astrid first enrolled, her only goal was simple: finish the course. 

“When I started the course, my only goal was to finish it, because going back to school as an adult is genuinely hard and I wasn’t taking that for granted. Everything beyond that was a bonus. So the fact that I’m already working before I even completed it? I’m happy!” 

For Astrid, perhaps the biggest surprise has been just how meaningful the work feels: 

“Working with children is something I never imagined myself doing. But being in that classroom, supporting kids who have additional needs, or who’ve experienced trauma, being a safe, steady presence for them is the most rewarding thing I’ve ever done. I didn’t expect to feel that way, and I think that surprise is part of what makes me proud.” 

Her advice to others considering the course is clear: 

“The time is now. There’s never going to be a perfect moment, there’s always going to be a reason to wait. But this course is designed around real life, so the barriers are lower than you think. Just start.”