Joseph Wynands and Warren Sullivan are just two of many students who have embarked on the road less travelled to the gates of university.

The Tertiary Preparation Certificate (TPC) at TAFE helps a wide range of people into pathways for career development to better equip themselves for university.

Joseph decided the TPC was right for him when he returned to Australia, having completing most of his schooling in New Zealand and finding that his HSC results wouldn’t gain him entry to university in Australia.

“The TPC will give me the entry I need to pursue a Civil Engineering degree,” Joseph said.

“I’m really enjoying the course so far, the structure and style of classes are not as formal as school, but you learn just as much”.

After beginning his working career in the automotive trade, 47 year old Warren Sullivan made a career change into sport and remedial massage several years ago and is now advancing his health related career into a nursing degree. Warren has already started some early units with Southern Cross University as he completes his TPC this week.

“I’d encourage any mature aged students to go to higher studies via the TPC”, Warren said.

“It’s hard work, but it’s been a great experience, and the teachers are so supportive” he added.

TPC coordinator Susan Mifsud said “The course is no easy cruise into university, but students are more mature to cope with the level of study”,.

“We have a broad range of people who do the class, from 19 year-olds who didn’t sit the HSC through to older mothers,” she said.  “Universities look favourably on the TPC.”

The TPC gives students a tertiary entrance score that is then adjusted to give the equivalent of an Australian tertiary admission rank, which students receive after doing the HSC.