I Want to Stay in Education

Future educator Demi Sheedy recently finished Year 12 at Salesian College Sunbury and she returned to campus in a new way. This time as an Outdoor Education Assistant Trainee! Supporting the Year 9 Retreat Program while studying a Certificate III in Sport, Aquatics and Recreation through AFL SportsReady.

I first heard about the traineeship program through Salesian.

Our career advisors encouraged it as an option after Year 12.

I saw it as a great gap year opportunity and a way to give back to the school that supported me.

Demi’s role is centred around the Year 9 Retreat Program, a compulsory experience that gives students. The program offers an opportunity to develop independence, resilience and teamwork skills outside the classroom.
She works across two major cohorts each year, helping deliver a full calendar of events from escape rooms and MCG tours to off-site camps.

I coordinate everything off-site.

That includes booking buses, preparing permission slips, organising staff and running camps. It’s a big task, but after the first camp with the Semester 1 group, something clicked for me.

That’s when my confidence set in, I realised, ‘I can actually do this.’ It was a pivotal moment.

Since stepping into the traineeship, Demi has seen huge growth in her confidence and organisational skills. She’s mastered spreadsheets, learned how to plan timetables and developed the kind of leadership and problem-solving abilities that are hard to teach in a classroom.

From being a student to Trainee has been easier than I expected, but also incredibly rewarding.

I’ve been trusted with real responsibilities,

and the other staff in the Retreat Program have been so supportive and that trust has pushed me to grow!

Looking ahead, Demi is clear about her goals.

I want to stay in education. I love working with young people and being a positive influence.

The traineeship has made me more patient and confident and it’s opened my eyes to the kind of teacher I want to be, especially in PE and Health.

What’s her advice for other students considering a traineeship after Year 12?

Go for it! It’s the perfect gap year if you’re interested in teaching or want to learn how a school operates behind the scenes.
You’ll gain real experience, grow your confidence and develop skills you’ll carry with you no matter what career you choose.

With the support of her school community and the structure of the traineeship program, Demi is turning her passion for education into a promising future, one carefully planned timetable at a time.

Salesian College Sunbury is a long-time partner with AFL SportsReady. Together, we’ve been shaping the futures of Trainees and making a lasting impact for over 10 years.