NZTC scholarship supports primary teacher to follow ECE dream

A primary school teacher of 15 years, Sue Tung knew very little about early learning before studying with New Zealand Tertiary College (NZTC).

“Early childhood education was something that used to be a bit of a mystery to me,” Sue shared.

“Since studying, I’ve learnt so much about the ECE curriculum and I now have a clear understanding of what has gone on with a child's education before primary school.”

Sue’s early childhood education journey began in 2015, when she moved to Tauranga and came across an advertisement for an early childhood reliever.

“I had always been interested in ECE teaching so I decided to give it a go. I really enjoyed it and ended up being offered a job from one of the centres I had relieved for.”

Soon after being offered a permanent job at her centre, Sue’s Centre Manager told her about NZTC’s study scholarships and encouraged her to apply. The mother of two jumped at the opportunity, which enabled her to study a Graduate Diploma in Teaching (ECE) for less than a quarter of usual fees.

“This scholarship opened up a whole new area for me to work in. It enabled me to receive a recognised qualification that would complement my primary teacher training and add to my work experience,” she said.

“It ensured that I could continue working in my current centre, looking after our gorgeous under twos. I worked so hard to achieve the qualification because I didn’t want NZTC’s generosity to go to waste.”

Now a proud NZTC graduate and early childhood teacher, Sue has relaxed into her role after learning the importance of giving young children independence.

“I now know the importance of slowing down and observing the children in my care, learning their cues. This was a huge learning curve for me, and has helped me to learn so much more about each child in my care.”

“I love having fun, and small children are the best at this! They have no inhibitions. It’s awesome watching them discover new concepts and learn so much through play.”

Click HERE to learn more about NZTC’s current scholarship opportunities.