Betheller Tambua

Before I came here, I heard that JCU was a university of a high standard. Once I arrived, I was pretty amazed and happy that I made the decision to come here.

Before studying the Diploma, I was pretty scared of going to university. I was terrified, but the University was so helpful, organised and open that I began to feel comfortable and I started to adapt to studying.

I love how organised everything has been at University. I have never experienced a community or an institution as well-organised as JCU. It was a bit of a cultural shock. Growing up in PNG, I never experienced anything like this. It has motivated me so much in my study. It is so helpful how lecturers and tutors are easy to communicate with and that they are available to respond to your questions. Everything you need is on Blackboard (a virtual learning environment), so you don’t need to go looking for everything.

Since I was young, I wanted to empower women to go into careers in different sectors. This is why I decided to do the Diploma of Higher Education, majoring in Engineering and Applied Science. There are not many women in the engineering sector in PNG. Some companies have started programs to encourage women to work as engineers and are hiring a lot more women. I believe these companies and organisations have a big influence on women today. They encourage women to believe in themselves so they can start studying courses and having careers in areas that are usually dominated by men.

After finishing the Diploma of Higher Education, I will continue my studies in a Bachelor of Engineering (Honours), majoring in Chemical Engineering. When I started the Diploma, one of the first subjects I did was on engineering. I discovered that a career in engineering has a lot to do with ethics and social ethics, which was pretty surprising and I learnt a lot.

I live on campus in Townsville. I feel comfortable staying at the labs or the library late at night and I feel confident to walk back to my dorm room. Even in the dorms, everyone is so open, kind, and easy to talk to. You don’t have to be afraid that you won’t make friends. Everyone is always open to having new friends and it’s amazing to be part of a community like that.

If you are thinking about studying, don’t doubt yourself or get scared. The lecturers and tutors know who you are from the beginning and they explain each step — they are always there to guide you. All you have to do is believe in yourself. The other students are great to work with and everyone is so open. It’s a great environment to learn in.