Never too late to get OnTrack for a university education

After leaving high school before completing Year 10 and having a daughter at the age of 19, Tania Corbitt thought university was out of reach until she discovered a program at Murdoch University that literally got her back on track.

Ms Corbitt said she left high school at 15 because she just didn't want to be there at the time and then went on to work in a series of labouring jobs that she didn't really enjoy.

"At 26 I decided that I wanted to go back to study and that I'd like to train to become a primary school teacher," Ms Corbitt said.

"Then I heard about OnTrack offered by Murdoch and sat a basic reading and writing test and was accepted to complete the program at Rockingham campus in semester one this year."

Ms Corbitt said the staff running the program were awesome and really supportive.

"At times the course started to feel a bit much, but then support staff encouraged me to keep trying and go on and finish the course," Ms Corbitt said.

Now having completed her first semester of an Early Education and Primary Education degree Ms Corbitt is convinced the OnTrack program gave her an advantage.

"I ended up with a distinction grade average for my foundation units," Ms Corbitt said.

"I found first semester really easy and noticed that while some students struggled, OnTrack had prepared me for university by teaching me the skills I'd need such as essay writing."

About 90 per cent of Ms Corbitt's fellow OnTrack students have also gone on to enrol in a degree at university.

OnTrack is a free program designed to help people with educationally disrupted backgrounds into university.

Held on Rockingham campus in semester one, Peel campus in semester two and all year round at South St campus, the program is available to a broad range of people who would otherwise find it difficult to access tertiary education.

OnTrack, which is delivered to students over three lots of four-week modules, provides excellent preparation for Murdoch’s undergraduate courses. 

Students are instructed in the areas of literacy, numeracy, critical thinking, problem solving, time management, collaborative learning, presentations, library research and computer skills.  Additional support is given to students whose first language is not English.

OnTrack is open to people who have experienced educational disruption and disadvantage. This includes residents from remote and rural locations, mature age students, people with a medical condition or disability, the long-term unemployed, government pensioners or low income earners, refugees or humanitarian visa holders and Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islanders.

Enrolments will be taken until Friday January 23, 2009 for the next OnTrack program which begins at Murdoch University’s Rockingham Campus on February 18, 2009.

Applications can be made by contacting the OnTrack support officer on 9360 2609, via email or online.