Oct - Dec 2015
I started training a class of about 20 students in retail baking. It was a my first experience as a VET trainer. The students were all matured students, mostly Vietnamese housewives. The training facilities were not ideal and I had to deal with language barriers. Despite these, I enjoyed my work and the rapport with the students were building after 3 months together. For Christmas, I received gifts from them and we had lunch together before the Christmas holiday break. My contract with the school was only till the end of 2015. When the new year approached, I contacted the school to confirm the starting date of return. But I was told that the job is no longer available. I was puzzled as the students clearly had a long way to go before completion of the course. The school was not very forthcoming with the telling me the real reasons and even suggested that I was not doing a good job. I was devastated. I was looking forward to continue the class with the students till they finished. I had no idea before the term break that my stint would be this short. If they were unhappy with my performance, why wasn't it brought to my attention before? Why only tell me at the last minute that I was not needed? It appeared the real reason was there was a reduction of bakery classes in other campuses. As such they had surplus teachers who were full-time staff that they re-deployed to take over my class and they dropped me instead. This was my first lesson about being a casual teacher. The RTOs can drop you anytime they don't need you, whether because funding is withdrawn or when they have surplus teachers due to reduced enrolments.
2016
The whole of January, I mopped around at home feeling depressed. Unknown to me, all this happened for a reason. The Lord had something even bigger planned. In February, I finally picked up enough motivation to start looking for another job. I remembered my TAE trainer saying that there's no harm writing to the TAFE program managers to let them know you are available. I had always wanted to work for the TAFE that trained me in TAE. The teachers were professional and the program was well-planned. I decided to send my resume to them even though there wasn't any job vacancy that suited me.
During this process, I was blessed to find favour with an Australian CEO whom I worked with back in Singapore, who agreed to be my reference (even though we had not spoken for a while since). This person even gave me some suggestions on how to "embellish" my resume to make it look more attractive. My TAE trainer also helped to forward my resume to the relevant program manager in the TAFE.
Because it was unsolicited, I knew I was just trying my luck and did not expect them to come back to me that soon. However, the next day, I got a reply from the Program Manager who said there could be opportunity for "some work" available. Wow, this was unbelievable. What amazing timing! If the first RTO had not stopped my contract, I would have been contented to remain there for at least a year and would never have thought of sending out that resume to the TAFE program manager. By this time, I was beginning to believe that it was all part of God's plan. He had closed the first door so that I could knock on that second door. I had no idea but what was about to happen in the next 4 months would let me experience the full glory of the Lord's power and increase my faith to a level I had never known.
Feb - Apr 2016
I went to meet the Manager with no idea what to expect and what I'll be doing. It turned out that I sent in my application at a time when the Program Manager was looking for extra help to run an overseas training program in China. The department was caught off guard by a contract signed by the previous management that they never knew existed until recently. They desperately needed resources to deliver 8-10 units of training to students that were enrolled three years ago in a joint partnership program. A job advertisement was made for a teacher and they had already selected the teacher through the interview process. At that point in time, it appeared that I could help in the development work, especially since I can read and write fluent Chinese. The Program Manager actually said I was "God send".
Just like that, I was immediately hired, skipping the whole interview selection process. Unlike the first teacher I did not even have to respond to any Key Selection Criterias. Initially I thought that I was just going to help out with the development work. Later, it appeared that one teacher might not be enough to deliver all the units and I was asked to go to China to teach as well. My Program Manager begged me not to say no. I was hesitant because I found it ridiculous. I was a new teacher, not just to the TAFE but to the VET industry as well. Not only that, although I had some food knowledge, I was not trained in Food Science and Technology. For the longest time, I just couldn't figure out, why me? Many experienced teachers in the department were really envious of us going to China for two and a half months. But this job just landed on my lap like that. For some reason, I didn't turn it down.
Apr - Jun 2016
Within two months, from unemployed, I became a teacher working for my dream TAFE and my first teaching assignment was in a foreign country for 10 weeks, teaching a course that I was not trained to in. It was crazy. The Lord's hand had to be in this. And He was in control.
When the plane took off to Shanghai, my heart was pounding like crazy. I remembered thinking, oh God, what have I gotten myself into? Will I even survive living away from my family. This was the first time I was going away for so long on my own. What about the lessons? I did not have time to even read up on some of the units I had to deliver. Will I be able to pull it off or "wing it" as my Program Manager said. I had no idea what was in store for me.
But the Lord's blessings and grace was with me. Workwise, the four units that I was assigned to teach were not science units but on quality management, OHS and food processes and trialling a new product. I don't know how but during the lessons, I managed to relate to the subjects and leverage on my previous working experience. There was a fifth unit that I had totally no idea about but praise the Lord it was taken away from me when I was there as the Program Manager managed to map it to a unit that was previously taught. Look how good God is!
Throughout the whole trip, I found favour with the Chinese people I met, from the drivers that drove us everyday to work to hotel manager at the place we called home to the teachers in the university that we work with. I enjoyed lots of goodwill when I was there. He sent people to bless me and created lots of wonderful memories of my two months there. There were lonely times, often in the evening and on weekends but overall I enjoyed the experience so much. I learnt a lot about China and the Chinese people, about myself and I think I grew more independent. I came home to Melbourne with so much to tell about the goodness of God and I had no doubt that it was God that had seen me through this.
Part 3 ...to be continued
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