Joy Hooker is the Programme Development Manager at Elim Leadership College in Auckland. She spends her days developing on-site and online Christian leadership training curriculums for students across the country.

Already working full-time when she decided to study the Graduate Diploma in Tertiary Education, she knew she needed a course that was flexible enough to fit around her work. This led her to studying the qualification at Otago Polytechnic via the Assessment of Prior Learning (APL) pathway.

 “It worked alongside my job and really benefits someone like me who has been in the field for a while, and is a mature and educated learner,” says Joy.

“Overall I’d say that the main thing I got out of the programme was confidence. I was taught how to look deeper, and reflect on what I was already doing. Having done this through Graduate Diploma, I now know without a shadow of a doubt that I’m delivering quality educational programmes to my students in the best possible way.

“I also discovered I have a thirst for learning - not just for myself, but for imparting knowledge to others. I love how the art of teaching allows me to see others grasp concepts, learn new skills and grow in their abilities.”