Student Spotlight – Maddi Kelly
GOTAFE is training students to be at the cutting-edge of their fields.
Certificate II in Engineering Studies (22632VIC) student Maddi Kelly may not yet know what type of career she would like to pursue – but with GOTAFE’s help, she’s learning as much as she can along the way.
Based at Wangaratta’s Docker Street Campus, Maddi found engineering through an introduction to all of the trade areas GOTAFE’s offers courses in.
"It kind of started when we did TAFE testers, I think I was in one of the first groups that did it, and we explored all of the different trade areas and engineering really just stuck out to me,” she said.
“The entire environment and all the people here is really inviting, and being able to be treated like an adult while still learning and being taught things is just a really good feeling.
“I don’t have too much of an idea at the moment (on long-term career goals), but I figure if I can get as many qualifications as I can then any place I want to go I should be able to have a foot in the door.
“It would be good (to pursue engineering), it’s a very interesting field.”
International Women in Engineering Day (INWED), celebrated worldwide on 23 June, recognises the remarkable contributions of women and those who identify as women across the engineering profession.
Maddi encouraged anyone with an interest in engineering to have a go at learning the trade – especially fellow women.
“I would say it’s definitely a more male-dominated field, but in saying that there’s no reason why women wouldn’t be able to (have a go at engineering),” she said.
“It’s pretty straight-forward and once you get the hang of it it’s as easy as anything else.”
