Degree: Diploma of Health Sciences + Bachelor of Nutrition Science
Current position: Lecturer at Deakin College and Deakin University and PhD student
My name is Shannon Ng Krattli and I am from Malaysia. I studied the Diploma of Health Sciences in 2019 and I graduated in Feb 2020. I am currently employed at Deakin College and Deakin University.
I chose Deakin College as a pathway into Deakin University for the Bachelor of Nutrition Science for a few reasons. The main reason was that it gave me a direct entry into the second year of university for my degree without having to spend an extra year studying because I did not meet the ATAR requirements. I also chose Deakin College because I was told that I would be offered a lot more support as part of my course and that was something that I needed at that time. Especially because I didn’t do well in year 12 due to personal reasons (loss of a family member) and also mental health issues. Before year 12 I was a straight-A student and failing year 12 really affected my self-esteem. Upon doing my research, Deakin came up as top 1% of student satisfaction and the thought of having additional support was very comforting and that helped me make my decision to study at Deakin College.
I think my experience at Deakin College really impacted my career pathway. I was a learning mentor at Deakin College and that role was the role that kickstarted my career in mentoring and tutoring which then led to me now teaching at both Deakin College and Deakin University.
Of course, there were also a few standout teachers who helped me navigate my time at the college. I’m glad I can still chat with them now if I’m not sure about anything as I’m still somewhat new to this teaching role, and every trimester there is a new scenario that I learn to navigate. I think it’s quite an accomplishment as when I was a student I used to think “I would love to teach here one day” and here I am teaching now. Even the teachers who are no longer at Deakin College are still in touch with me and still only want me to succeed. The connections I’ve built from my time here are timeless and I’m very lucky to have that.
I think that extracurricular activities are very valuable. As well as being a learning mentors, I was also part of the student committee at Deakin College. When I transitioned over to Deakin University, my experience as a mentor helped me get multiple paid roles such as a writing mentor, maths mentor and student partner. Throughout my studies, I also undertook multiple placements/internships that were both apart from my course and outside of my course. These experiences collectively have given me the skills and experience I have today to be a teacher and a researcher. The student partner role and some internships even led to me writing and publishing a book chapter and several journal articles which also helped me get into my current PhD programme with a scholarship.
It was very nice meeting other people also from Southeast Asia as it made living overseas by myself for the first time a little bit less scary and less lonely. It was also nice because we have similar cultural backgrounds and study goals, so that helped us keep each other on track and I can honestly say I’ve made friends for life here.
I still have the support of my teachers from almost six years ago. They have always been eager to lend a helping hand. Even right before starting this teaching role here in my very first trimester, I met up with an ex-Deakin College teacher and he gave me all of his previous teaching resources and helped me prep for my first class. I truly appreciate the connections that I’ve made at Deakin College and that I still have them now as I progress through my academic journey. I also hope to do the same for my current students. I also need to thank the existing colleagues I have who have supported me and recommended me for teaching roles at Deakin University and they’re only just an email away if I need any advice.
Deakin College helped me regain a lot of self-confidence after what happened in year 12. It was the close and constant support that I got from the teachers at Deakin College that gave that to me. My newfound confidence allowed me to put myself out there and apply for the roles that I have done throughout the last few years and the roles that I have now.
On the academic side of things, Deakin College taught me how to analyse and understand assessment questions, how to understand feedback, and how to do an effective literature search – the necessary skills to be a good student, mentor and researcher. Because they gave me a very good foundation in my first year of college, I’ve had a great start in my academic journey.
For those who want to do a PhD and become an academic, from my experience, and from what I have learned only recently, networking is key. As an introverted person myself, I know attending workshops/meetings/events can be intimidating or awkward, but these were the places where I’ve met different people from different departments/faculties and have been offered the roles that I have had throughout the last few years. Putting yourself out there and getting out of your comfort zone really pays off. The other big learning has been to trust yourself, sometimes things might not always go as you planned, but as long as you are willing to put in the work, you are capable of reaching your goals.
My roles at Deakin College and Deakin University are both casual roles but I have always been given more than enough hours of work to keep me busy throughout the trimester. And I would like to think that the reason behind that is I am very capable and good at my job.