In the lead up to World Teachers’ Day coming up on 27 October, we’re ‘taking our hats off’ to some of our amazing teachers at TAFE Gippsland. Next in line for some well-deserved love is allied health teacher Leah Emmons…
“She never fails to make everyone laugh, she teaches well, helps students who need it and always makes me excited to see what her outfit is.” ~ Leahs Fav :) xoxo – Allied Health student
“Leah for her passion, dedication and commitment to providing us with the best learning and skills we need to be successful.” Lorien Loomes – Certificate IV in Leisure & Health
Leah Emmons’ appreciation for the power of education is probably greater than most.
A struggling single mum with no real vocational direction, Leah was almost 40 years old when she decided to take up tertiary study.
After completing four certificate IV qualifications (TAE, aged dare, disabilities, leisure and health) and Diploma of Business Management, Leah said she “finally felt empowered” in her career of choice.
“That is the best thing about teaching – it’s being part of empowering people through education.”
Leah has been a teacher for 16 years now – empowering TAFE Gippsland students for the past four years as an allied health instructor and before that, at TAFE Queensland.
Let’s just say, Leah’s career as an adult educator didn’t begin in a traditional classroom setting, per se.
“My first teaching job was in a high security men’s prison in Queensland, which was quite an experience and one that I enjoyed immensely,” Leah said.
“The whole teaching thing came about while I was working as a disability support worker, working with a young man with Autism who’s foster mother was a teacher at TAFE Queensland. She said she thought I should be teaching and took my resume into TAFE.
“At the time, I was a single Mum and a recipient of Centrelink payments and was offered funding to gain my training and assessment qualification.”
After being hired by TAFE Queensland to coordinate a new, government-funded program targeting students with barriers to education such as homelessness and domestic violence, Leah was involved in running a total of 14 Certificate III in Aged Care courses in collaboration with an employment agency, assisting with the skills shortage in the local area.
Since bringing that experience to TAFE Gippsland in 2019, Leah has been able to continue her credo through helping students with barriers to education in the region.
“Just recently I had a young lady with an intellectual disability wanting to study a Certificate IV in Leisure and Health,” Leah said.
“Against some feedback about her ability to complete, her determination convinced us to accept her. I am so very proud to say she has just completed her placement with glowing feedback and will achieve her dream of gaining the qualification. This is very satisfying.”
We’ll be sharing the love for all our teachers on World Teachers’ Day, this Friday 27 October, so stay tuned!