Students
Student stories
Student
Stories
Meet some of our students and graduates who have achieved success at their study or in their careers.
Ashleigh Gringhuis
Ashleigh enrolled in a traineeship under the Year 12 VCAL program while studying at Leongatha Secondary College. While at school, Ashleigh joined a Certificate III in Individual Support program with CCG and found a traineeship position at Woorayl Lodge. "During the COVID-19 lockdown period, my CCG trainer contacted me several times a week to guide me through the program. The training and support I received from CCG and Woorayl Lodge gave me a lot more confidence which helped me overcome my shyness and pursue further studies.
Currently, I'm pursuing a Diploma of Nursing at Leongatha TAFE, and I plan to take a gap year before starting a Bachelor of Nursing/Midwife degree at Fed Uni."
Emily Matthews
For Emily Matthews, school was not always a positive place. “I was a student in a regional area, struggling to learn with a visual processing disorder and there wasn’t a lot of support,” Emily said. “When I left school in year 11, I struggled with literacy, especially spelling. It made me feel trapped, and worried […]
Cade Wilson
“I was really unsure about what I wanted to do for work and my careers counsellor suggested I try education support. I felt at home right away in the classroom and had an absolute blast working with the kids. To my surprise, it didn’t feel like work at all. The idea of helping in the classroom as a career really appealed to me and I decided to pursue that after school.”
Cade secured a traineeship at the school that inspired his career path, Morwell Central. Throughout the traineeship, Cade was employed to work at the school, with his trainer regularly coming on-site for lessons.
Grace Mattingley
“CCG is a really down-to-earth place. As soon as I walked in the door on my first day, everyone welcomed me with open arms. It was a great way to start my learning. I would describe my trainer as one of the easiest people to talk to. He’s an expert in everything he does, so […]
Ashlee Storey
“I chose to do Retail Cosmetics because it was a good chance to see if I liked doing makeup. It’s very welcoming and fun. One thing I’ve learned about myself while doing the course is that you can do anything if you put your mind to it. If someone was thinking of doing the course, […]
Katrina LaBrooy
“It’s been a really good experience being here – lovely people, really friendly. The skills I’ve learned have been phenomenal (and) the trainers at CCG are really good. I got to learn how to do clients colours, cuts and all different hair styles. I would definitely highly recommend it, because it’s a really good place […]
Allie Webley
“Ever since I was a kid, I always loved playing with hair. It was my dream job, and now it’s a job that I love coming to every day. The trainers are great at CCG. They put in 110% effort. Ever since my first day there, I felt really comfortable. I feel so much confidence […]
Mikkaela
“When I was in Year 10, I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do as a career. I decided to do an introduction to hairdressing (Certificate II Salon Assistant) through the VET in Schools* program, studying one day a week at CCG. I discovered that I loved hairdressing. After completing Year 11, I started an apprenticeship with a local hairdresser. I began my training at a Melbourne institution but then switched to CCG. The hairdressing trainers at CCG are passionate about hairdressing and are very positive and supportive. They do their best to help all the apprentices become fully qualified. I was awarded Apprentice of the Year and that achievement was due to the help I received from my trainers. In fact, I don’t think I would have even finished my apprenticeship if it hadn’t been for CCG. After I became qualified, I continued working for my employer who has been really flexible all these years, first by supporting me throughout my apprenticeship and now by allowing me to work around raising a family.”
Lateshia Locker
"I liked the sound of CCG from the start — their focus on sustainability, the community garden, and community and environmental values. Even though CCG is a long way from Sale, I was happy to go there to study the Certificate III in Horticulture because of those values. CCG is more community-oriented and personalised than the larger institutions. When I started my course, the staff at CCG were really friendly and helpful. The trainers were very approachable, flexible and supportive."
Sarah
"I thought about it for a while, then decided to work in early childhood, mostly because of the family-friendly hours,’ she says. ‘As a single mum with three kids, I knew I’d have to keep earning money as well as studying and looking after my family, and that it would be a challenge juggling it all while doing the course. But I also knew it was the right time to take the plunge."