Breanna felt the call of teaching pull her back to the Territory

Darwin local Breanna wanted a taste of the big, wide world outside once she left school, but the laid-back Territory lifestyle soon called her back home. With a new career plan and a scholarship or two under her belt, postgraduate teaching student Breanna can’t wait to make a positive impact on high school students in her hometown.

After finishing high school in Darwin, Breanna travelled for a year or two before moving interstate to study a Bachelor of Arts. While living and studying in Queensland, she felt the call to come back to her hometown.  

“There’s something about the laidback Territory lifestyle and sense of community up here that is endearing.”

Though she had chosen to study an arts degree, the idea of teaching and working with youth was always at the back of her mind. 

“That way I could combine my love of English to hopefully inspire other young people!”

She applied to study postgraduate teaching at Charles Darwin University, allowing her to return home and enjoy the Territory lifestyle she’d been missing.

By selecting CDU’s Master of Teaching (Secondary), Breanna would become a teacher in just two years.

“No harm in just applying!”

Having worked throughout her undergraduate degree and even more so during the semester breaks, Breanna wanted her postgraduate experience to be different.

After checking out all the scholarships on the CDU website, she simply took her chances and applied. 

“I was fortunate enough to receive two scholarships during my time at CDU which massively helped me. This meant that I did not have to work as much as I would’ve otherwise.”

I’ve been able to fully focus and commit to my studies during the semester. I’m lucky enough that my scholarships allow me to not work during the uni semesters and one of them offers me work in the uni breaks to gain additional income.

The Destination Australia Scholarship for Domestic Students, the first of Breanna’s scholarships, is designed to provide financial support to domestic students who choose to study in regional and rural Australia.

Breanna was also awarded the Department of Education Work Integrated Learning Scholarship, offering financial assistance to high achieving second-year or later students in order to develop professional and qualified workers in critical occupations in the Northern Territory.

“It allowed me to work 6-12 weeks (paid) per year at the Department of Education which was such a valuable experience as it provided insight into the corporate side of education and introduced me to a lot of different people.”

Her advice for current and future students?

“Apply for the scholarships – there’s no harm in just applying!”

The next generation of NT teachers

Teaching placements made their mark on Breanna, inspiring her to work as a senior school teacher right here in the Territory once she graduated.

“We are so fortunate to be able to have insight into so many different cultures and perspectives and it’s a great place to start your career because we have access to a lot of work opportunities that are just not available in other capital cities,” she says.

Breanna’s experience studying in Darwin eased her transition from student to new teacher. She was able to make industry contacts, see how different schools operate, and learn from seasoned teachers.

Your placements are a great way to learn from other teachers about how to effectively manage a classroom and to figure out what works and what doesn't.

“It's great to get experience standing up in front of a class and actually seeing a lesson play out. You might have the best lesson in the world planned on paper but unless you can engage your students, it doesn't matter.”

With a Master of Teaching under her belt and plenty of local industry knowledge to help her on her way, Breanna has the hit ground running.

“I’m teaching at a senior school in Darwin and I’m loving it!”

Make an impact on the next generation when you study Education at Charles Darwin University.