Tiffany Hardin was among 24 TAFE Western Aboriginal students graduating from unique health and police training programs in Dubbo.
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Nine students graduated from the Indigenous Police Recruitment Our Way Delivery (IPROWD) program, while fifteen students completed an 18-month Certificate IV in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Primary Health Care Practice course.
The IPROWD graduates hailed from right across the state including Coonabarabran, Wee Waa, Illawong, Woy Woy, Port Macquarie, Umina Beach and Macksville.
Ms Hardin said the program prepared her well for a future career as a police officer.
“The long hours when you’ve got to travel but it also gets you out of your comfort zone,” she said.
“I just thought it was a good career and I wanted to be a role model for my son.”
Ms Hardin said she tried other things and other studies but I wasn't really interested until she enrolled and though yep that's what I want to do
She has now enrolled in an online university policing course, taking it “step by step”, and said IPROWD has given her “friends for life”.
“It’s been great working with these students and inspire them to continue their studies and follow their dreams to be a police officer in the NSW Police Force,” Dubbo IPROWD coordinator Kylie Giusti said.
Acting TAFE Western Institute Director Adam Bennett said it was such a special occasion the organisation combined the two graduation ceremonies, which was held in the Yarradamarra Centre on Thursday.
“This is a very important opportunity for TAFE Western to pay tribute to some of our most talented, dedicated and hard-working Aboriginal students at a special combined graduation ceremony where we will hear from the students and their amazing education journeys so far,” Mr Bennett said.
“TAFE Western is very proud to be involved in both of these unique Aboriginal programs, which offer specialised training and exciting opportunities for our students.
“Both programs have been recognised by NSW Premier Mike Baird for their excellence, with IPROWD winning the Building Stronger and Safer Communities Award in 2015, while TAFE Western’s Building an Aboriginal Health Worker Skilled Workforce Program was a finalist in the Premier’s Awards this year.
“Most importantly, we’re very proud of these graduating students and feel they deserve this recognition for taking a huge step towards achieving their dreams with these TAFE qualifications.”
