James – Risk consultant
B. Business/B. Information Technology, 2009

"When I came over to Australia from Sri Lanka I guess it was, I felt anxious and also uncertain as to what the future holds. Because English was a second language for my mum, she struggled to help me through my high school and my primary school years, and also it was hard for her to find a job because of the limitations she faced in terms of her tertiary education and English being her second language. So I guess in that sense it was a very difficult experience for my mum, and therefore for our family.
My mum always said that I was the man of the house and I guess as I got older I kind of realised that in the long term I need to have a financially stable career and to look after my mum and my family, so I guess that’s when I seriously, seriously started considering a tertiary education".

Amanda – QUT PhD student                
Graduate Diploma in Education, 2009

"The best thing about finding out about my application being successful was just the feeling of “Oh, someone thinks I can do this – that I can take this journey on and actually go with it!”. The Learning Potential Fund really enabled me to give up the part-time work, focus on the study, engage a little bit child care and it really allowed me to make those choices that could set me up for success.
Had I not had the bursary I would have been working, trying to hold a full-time load and managing 4 kids and how that all fits together...  I would have been taking from too many places...  So there was that financial aspect of making it happen practically, but really it was that component of wanting to succeed because others had believed in me, I guess, which was really special".

Shantelle - Defence Business Analyst        
B. Business (Human Resource Management), 2011

"When I received that letter saying that I’d actually received that scholarship, I just burst into tears, I cried, I couldn’t believe it.
The Learning Potential Fund helped me financially with getting my car back up and running...  It allowed me to actually buy my son some books from the book club, I managed to get some groceries and continue to pay for my son’s medicines.
And I actually got better marks after the scholarship. I got my very first high distinction, I was just, “Wow, I can do this".
I’m really glad that the Learning Potential Fund happened when it did, because it did allow me to take that opportunity... of doing work experience... which consequently did mean that I got paid work...
I don’t feel like I was really there and spent the first 2 years of my son’s life, with him...but I know it was worth it and it was something I had to do".

Claire - Director, Claire’s Circus school            
B. Creative Industries (Drama), 2008

"When I’m teaching my circus classes, I really want the children not only to learn the skills that I’m teaching them, but also to take away other things like autonomous learning, working in teams, being focused and, and persisting at the skills that they’re learning. Just like in anything in life, you need to work hard and persist at things to get a result, and I want them to understand that if they do they can achieve anything.
Some of the students who I’ve been teaching for a long time have really shown that they can take initiative, they’re more empowered, they’re more confident, they’re more trusting...
...and they’re learning to respect others in a way that they might not have necessarily done before...It works in many different ways I think, so I hope also not just by teaching circus skills, I can teach people to make a difference in their communities and really get out there!"

Carly – Therapy Assistant            
B. Behavioural Science (Psychology), 2008

"It was fantastic, I loved every second of that degree. After graduating from QUT I was working for a not-for-profit organization in community development, giving other people opportunities to do activities that they might not otherwise be able to do... and then that led me into occupational therapy, which is what I’m studying now.
I’m currently working as a therapy assistant with an occupational therapist, and that’s been an amazing learning curve...
I’m hoping in the future to work in paediatrics in brain injury rehabilitation, and I think that my psychology studies will give me a bit of a head start in that field.
With children and the brain injuries there is a lot of hope for improvement, and I think it’s just a very important time to be working on rehabilitation, because you can see differences and you’re making an impact on their future, and helping to improve their life. That’s what I’m passionate about".

Josh – Mining Geologist            
B. Applied Science (Geo-science; Geology), 2009

"My focus right now is to probably do at least 5 to 10 years as a geologist... I feel that would give me the confidence that I’m a good geologist - I have knowledge and history there.
I feel like I’m an apprentice still you know, so I’ve got to, you know do my trade now.
...If you’re someone that’s struggling financially then I’d just say go for it, you know regardless. If you did an audit of where you spend your money over your lifetime I’m sure there’s plenty of mistakes along the line you know...
Grab those opportunities when you can, and try as hard as you can, and don’t be afraid to fail because we all have our moments of failure, and that’s where you learn a lot, the most, and you get stronger from it".