The roadmap to teaching in rural and regional areas

“If you enjoy your work, you’ll never work a day in your life.” This was the motto on repeat for Michael Clark upon returning to his hometown of Batemans Bay after his military stint was cut short. “I had pursued a career in the Australian Army, but left before moving up any rank,” Michael explains. “Now, back in my local area, I didn’t enjoy my work in retail, so I had to reflect on what I’d enjoyed in the past.”

A particular memory from high school stood out: “I remembered tutoring a friend’s son when I was in my late teens, who was potentially going to repeat Year 3. We worked together a few times a week, and he made enough progress to continue with his peers to Year 4,” Michael says. “I wanted to work with kids and help them reach their goals—no matter how big or small.”

With a career objective now set, Michael admits he was clueless on how to make it happen until visiting the UOW Eurobodalla campus. “I had very little experience [interacting] with children, let alone teaching them! But the Bachelor of Arts offered several alternate job opportunities to explore.”

Established in 2000 alongside UOW’s regional campuses in the Shoalhaven, Southern Highlands, and Bega Valley, choosing UOW Eurobodalla for his undergraduate degree was a no-brainer for this proud local. “It was a decision based around family. I had all of my family here in Batemans Bay and a good friend base as well,” Michael says. “Moving to the main campus in Wollongong would have been a major transition. And as a mature age student, I wanted to keep my base here. I could see myself living here for the rest of my life.”

Life lessons

Reflecting on his time at UOW Eurobodalla, Michael’s experience was overwhelmingly positive. “The staff were fantastic. The tutors were highly approachable. You could easily just knock on the door and ask them a question. It was a lot easier, in my opinion, than potentially going and visiting a tutor in the similar position at the main campus. They had an open-door policy.”

Michael also valued the diversity of the student cohort. “We had early school leavers from the age of 17, and some elderly people that were all the way up to their 80s who, when you're doing a history subject, had some really, really valuable knowledge. They had lived through what we were learning about and could contribute to discussions in that sort of way. I found that valuable. I'm not sure if you would get that from the main campus.”

"I've always been an advocate for studying regionally," says Master of Teaching (Primary) graduate, Michael Clark.

But the transition from the Bachelor of Arts to the Master of Teaching (Primary) program was “a whole other can of worms,” facing a global challenge that nobody planned for. “Three weeks in, COVID was building momentum and shutdowns initiated,” Michael recalls. “Everyone was to study from home, which was no big deal for the regional campuses because we already did that. Yet the Batemans Bay staff rallied and offered adjustments and alternatives to assist us with our education almost without skipping a beat. I truly admire them for their efforts during this time. They are more like friends than anything else.”

Empowering communities

For someone who embodies the benefit of regional education, Michael is optimistic about the future of campuses like UOW Eurobodalla. “I hope that regional campuses continue to maintain their place in the community. I've already seen through my five years of being at UOW Eurobodalla that they have a huge place in the community.

Committed to his dual roles as a working primary school teacher and an excited, soon-to-be dad, Michael believes regional campuses open doors not just for individuals – but for entire communities.
“They reach out to different schools, not only secondary but primary, just to let kids know what options are there in the future,” he explains.

“If we continue doing that, then hopefully we get more kids through the door, playing with the idea of what they can be. They don't have to be what their parents are. They can actually study long term and pursue something that's meaningful to them.”