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Ryan Normington
GOTAFE Sport and Recreation graduate Ryan Normington has always been interested in sports, so the decision to get qualifications in the sport and fitness industry was a step in the right direction.
“During year 12 I knew I wanted to work outdoors and keep fit, so undertaking the Sport and Recreation Diploma really appealed to me,” said Ryan.
“The diploma bridged the gap between school and university and I am confident the skills and experience I learnt at GOTAFE gave me a competitive edge and helped me get into the course I wanted.
Ryan chose GOTAFE because of its offerings and accessibility.
“GOTAFE had everything I needed, close to home in the town where I grew up and the course was exactly what I was looking for, I knew it would provide university pathways for me.
The diploma is structured to expose students to the vast employment opportunities available to them in the sport and fitness industry. The most appealing part for Ryan was the interactions with the community.
“The practical side of our course involved engaging the community through team sports and activity programs, including a disability program with GV Connect and a school holiday program at Kidstown,” he said.
“These out-of-classroom programs were really rewarding because I enjoy working with children and it helped me decide that primary school teaching was what I wanted to do.”
Ryan enjoyed being able to stay at home and study, but he also learnt a lot about the people who live in his community.
“Shepparton is very culturally diverse, it was amazing to see how sport transcends all nationalities, and it’s a great conversation starter and a great way to engage people,” he said .
“It was such a great feeling seeing international families kicking a ball around, meet new people and really enjoy themselves through the programs that myself and fellow students organised.”
Ryan is currently located at Deakin University’s Geelong Campus, where he will complete his teaching degree.
