In August 2020 Nima undertook an online English language course with DUELI to prepare him for his PhD at Deakin University Waurn Ponds campus. Participating in DUELI course helped him to start a new chapter in his research journey as a PhD and research student in order to advance his professional activity and align it with artificial intelligence and machine learning. DUELI was a bridge to enter this stage. In particular, he enjoyed the small group interaction, which gave him confidence when speaking English with his peers. The course did more than improve his English though. It also helped him make friends, familiarised him with living in Geelong and prepared him for the move in January. Prior to this he and his wife (Katayoon) knew little about Geelong but were pleasantly surprised by how beautiful and picturesque the city is. “Geelong has great amenities, a beautiful beach and harbor, good restaurants and cafes, and the incredibly kind local people of different cultures from all over the world (multicultural city)” said Nima.

Figure 1. Geelong beautiful beach in summer and autumn.

 “The city's public transportation is another positive intersection, making it easy to get to and from the surrounding cities and Melbourne, as well as easy access to the city's suburbs. There are also many natural and recreational places around Geelong that can be visited” said Nima.

Figure 2. Exciting entertainments around Geelong

Figure 3. Visit the farms around Geelong.

“In addition, the facilities at Deakin are terrific, we enjoy participating in extracurricular activities such as football and Volleyball. Joining numerous student clubs helped me to increase my friendship” said Nima.

Figure 4. A part of sports facilities of Deakin University Waurn Ponds campus

Nima and his wife (Katayoon) arrived in Melbourne from Iran in September 2019, as the top student (master’s degree in geotechnical engineering) at Tehran Polytechnic University with more than 6 years of experience in civil engineering and geotechnics in Iran. In his third week in Melbourne, he began working in his specialty, Geotechnical Engineering, as a Technical Geotechnical Officer and senior geotechnical engineer at La Trobe University, where he worked for 15 months prior to enrolling at Deakin University. During Corona's difficult days, he worked voluntarily to help his team and students. He is currently undertaking his PhD at Deakin in Geotechnical and also working as a senior laboratory manager at Federation University, Gippsland. He hopes to expand his work opportunities and improve his application of learning to assist Deakin in their research.

Figure 5. Work experience at La Trobe University

Studying abroad is a very interesting thing. Fortunately, my father has an opportunity to be a visitor of Deakin University, which is in Geelong this summer holiday. Because of this, I am able to go to Australia to study for nearly a team.

I first heard and came to Geelong last summer holiday, but I haven’t study there. This time, I go to North Geelong Secondary College for study. Before I came there, I only knew Geelong is a city in Australia which has a very good location. It is in a gulf on the South Coast of the country, and it’s also in the Victoria state that is called the Garden state and the Education state. But now I know the people there are more hospitable, the drivers there are more polite, the equipment there is more useful, and the air there is much fresher and clearer.

Studying in Geelong is very easy if you do very well in English. Because of this, the most important thing about study here is to understand the teacher’s words and expressions of language. Now I’m looking forward to speaking English fluently. If you are a new international student who will study in NGSC and want to get some recommendations from me, I can only tell you that don’t expect that you can understand every word of teachers, learn steadily step by step, and pay more attention to English.

When I go back to China and study in my school, I’ll tell my classmates about study in Australia. I’ll suggest them to study in Geelong just because it has perfect location, friendly residents, amazing environment, kind teachers, and excellent schools.

Certificate IV in Laboratory Techniques
Diploma of Laboratory Technology

“The Gordon TAFE went beyond my expectations in the quality of education and training. The environment at the Gordon is very inclusive and supportive, not only by teachers but also people who work in campus and even other classmates.

The thing I enjoy the most about the program at the Gordon TAFE is that is a very hands-on program. The Gordon TAFE experience does require from you as a student to be a proactive learner and to persevere when obstacles get in the way, but the most amazing thing is you will never face none of them alone, no matter whether is a personal issue in your life or an academic one.

I believe Laboratory Technology is a very interesting area to work at for those who appreciate, like laboratory work and Science. I see that in the Healthcare area, laboratory work is a growing field, with lots of work opportunities, and multiple challenging pathways to generate an impact in other people’s life and even your own.”

“I chose to study at The Gordon as they have an excellent reputation, with a lot of great chefs who have graduated and now own their own restaurants.

All the teachers are professional and experienced and they make the training interesting and memorable. I have not only learned how to cook a great meal, but also learned how to be a team player. After studying with my classmates all year, we have become like a family. We study from each other, help each other, and have a lot of fun. As an international student I was always shy to speak out, but in the cookery industry you have to communicate with others and my English has improved dramatically. I’ve not only learnt English, but also some specialised words in French, Italian, Japanese and others.

I am now working in a local restaurant and continuing my studies at Certificate IV level to gain more knowledge and experience. I hope to own my own small restaurant one day. ”

Bo Li (Allen)
Certificate III in Commercial Cookery
Recipient of 2016 The Gordon International Student of the Year Award