After leaving high school halfway through his final year, Daniel Hall was apprehensive about going back to study. He had worked as a chef and in retail but was looking to change career. He says VU’s approach to learning made him believe he could succeed. He is now studying a Bachelor of Biomedical Science at VU.
"I dropped out of school halfway through Year 12, as I was never a very successful or dedicated student. At that time, I was undertaking the VCAL program and doing a school-based apprenticeship to become a chef. I worked as a chef and in retail for a few years before I realised I wanted to return to study.
I chose VU and VU Polytechnic as I felt the pathways offered were incredibly promising, especially as a student returning to study without an ATAR. I enrolled into a Diploma of Beauty Therapy SHB50115 and a Certificate IV in Tertiary Preparation 22313VIC (now Certificate IV in Tertiary Preparation 22582VIC.
I chose to study beauty therapy as I had always had a passion for caring for others and I was fascinated by the underlying anatomy and physiology of the skin, bone and musculature of the human body.
I was apprehensive about transitioning to higher education as I had no experience with referencing, research, learning, academic writing or succeeding as a student in general. The Certificate IV in Tertiary Preparation 22313VIC gave me all of the tools, resources and knowledge for me to succeed as a student.
It felt as though VU wasn’t just a university, but a place that genuinely wanted to see me succeed. Without VU’s approach to learning, I can genuinely say I may not have completed my initial diploma, and I could still be stuck in a career that I was unhappy in.
I am now studying a Bachelor of Biomedical Science at VU with aspirations of becoming a medical researcher.
As someone who was certainly an underachiever in previous educational settings, I have discovered a new passion – and sometimes an obsession – for learning!"