Seeking a new challenge
JCU Bachelor of Education (Primary) graduate Cameron Gooda has found his calling in the classroom. After more than a decade working in Indigenous housing, he decided it was time for a new challenge. One that would let him make a difference in a new way.
Now a Year 7 core teacher at Glenmore State High School in Rockhampton, Cameron teaches english and history and is helping shape the next generation of learners.
“I loved my job in Indigenous housing,” Cameron says. “I got to connect with mob on a different level and became invested in the lives of the people we were able to help.
“But after 11 years, things started to feel the same every day, and it took a bit of a toll on my mental health. I knew I needed something different — something that challenged me.”
Fateful encounter
That turning point came after a chance meeting with a local primary school principal in his hometown of Rockhampton.
“I knew I wanted to study education but didn’t really know where to start,” Cameron says. “I met a principal one day, and she became a great mentor to me. Choosing primary teaching felt like a natural fit after that.”
Cameron began his journey by completing a Diploma of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Education at TAFE Queensland while working as a teacher aide. It didn’t take long for him to realise he had found his passion.
“Working as a teacher aide in a school full of awesome educators made me fall in love with teaching,” he says. “From there, I continued on into university to build a career I knew I wanted.”
A pathway that works
To take the next step, Cameron enrolled in RATEP — a community-based Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander teacher education pathway that provides high levels of support through a partnership between TAFE Queensland, James Cook University, and the Queensland Department of Education.
The RATEP pathway supports students to study externally while gaining valuable on-the-job experience, and for Cameron, it made all the difference.
“Having the support systems was a huge motivator,” he says. “The JCU crew checked in regularly, and that made me want to do well. They made it easy to ask for help, and there were definitely times I needed that.”
For Cameron, every milestone in his learning journey felt significant.
“Every time I passed a subject or assessment felt like a highlight,” Cameron says. “There were some I found really challenging, and I almost gave up, but the lecturers and the IERC (Indigenous Education and Research Centre) crew always helped me find another option. They believed in me even when I didn’t.”
Looking ahead
Cameron’s goal now is to continue growing as a teacher and to help others entering the profession.
“I’d like to be a role model and advocate for more Indigenous educators in schools,” he says. “There’s a real need for more of us to be visible in classrooms — it makes a difference for students to see themselves reflected in their learning environment.
“Mentoring new teachers would be the dream for me right now. I had a great introduction into education, and I’d love to pass that on to others who are just starting out.”
Looking back, Cameron says taking the leap from full-time work into full-time study was daunting, but worth it.
“It can be scary to leave a career and go back to study,” he says.
“But it’s all about timing — and for me, the timing couldn’t have been better. I went from full-time work with benefits to part-time work and study, but now I’m building something even greater for myself.”