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EDUCATION
The Vocation
A Career Change and Faith Journey
Lead to St Bernard’s
It has been an eventful journey – taking
seventeen years, a career change and
faith journey to lead Rachel Stephen to
primary teaching in a Catholic primary
school within the Diocese of Broken Bay.
Initially studying high school teaching at
university after leaving school, her stopgap
job within a bank while studying,
became a successful banking career of
seventeen years progressing to the role
of branch manager for twelve years.
With the arrival of her daughter,
Rachel began to reconsider her career
options. Exploring the area of training,
Rachel completed two years as a
Service Quality Manager within the
same bank but she felt that a career
teaching children was beckoning.
“My exit strategy from the bank
was a couple of years in the making.
I was working full time and studying
a .75 load at university. My holidays
for a couple of years were spent doing
teacher practicums. I had to do three
practicums while working full time
which was a nightmare… but I had to
do the right thing for me,” she explained.
Rachel’s first teaching role was at St
Bernard’s Catholic School in Berowra.
“I had done a practicum at St Bernard’s
and the school offered me an initial short
teaching stint. I asked when I needed to
start and they said the next day. So I left
the bank and started my teaching career!”
Coming from a corporate
environment where she knew the
systems inside out, it was an exciting
career change for Rachel.
“Teaching is definitely where I should
be but I have found that I am out of
my comfort zone. As a teacher you are
always learning, and that’s the appeal.”
Rachel found the Primary Mentoring
Program run for early career teachers
in the Diocese of Broken Bay to
be of great support. Initially she
felt torn leaving her new class for
half a day twice a term to focus on
her own professional development
however with her group negotiating
areas for focused support she
found the sessions of great value.
Rachel’s journey didn’t end there.
Having only just concluded her
teaching studies she decided to enrol
in a Master of Theology Course.
“I converted to Catholicism a
couple of years ago, having enrolled
my daughter in a Catholic school.
It has been a whole journey – a
career change, a faith journey –
the whole thing,” she said
“I believe the more we understand,
the better the gifts we give the
children. It is a big family commitment
but a very worthwhile one.”
16 AUGUST 2013 BBN Proudly sponsored by