When Cherie first arrived at the MW Learning Centre, she brought with her both a dream and a challenge. She was determined to become a Childcare Assistant, despite having experienced learning difficulties throughout school and having reading and writing skills at an early primary school level.

Cherie began her journey with the Teach2Learn Pre-Vocational Children’s Services workbooks, approaching them one page at a time. At first, she could only manage one page per day, despite attending three days a week—and even that required significant support.

But she never gave up.

Over time, her persistence paid off. When she reached the point of completing two pages a day with minimal assistance, her trainer arranged a work experience placement at a local childcare centre. This hands-on environment allowed her to apply the reading and writing knowledge she had been building, while making use of her strong listening and speaking skills, which were well-suited to working with young children.

As Cherie became more confident and independent in her learning, she eventually completed the workbook without support—a huge personal milestone. Encouraged by her progress, her trainer enrolled her in a Distance Certificate III in Childcare, with continued support in place in case the course content proved too difficult.

It did. The reading and writing demands of the formal qualification were significantly above her capacity at the time, and she once again required intensive literacy support.

But what stood out to the childcare centre wasn’t her academic ability—it was her dedication, gentle nature, and unwavering perseverance. Impressed by her commitment and potential, they made the decision to offer her casual employment as a Childcare Support Worker, three days a week.

Cherie achieved her goal—not just through study, but through sheer determination and the power of support. Her story is a celebration of resilience and a reminder that with the right tools, encouragement, and opportunities, people can achieve more than they ever thought possible.