“My name is Janet Kennerley and I’m 50 years old. I was born in the UK and spent most of my adult life growing up in Salisbury Wiltshire - a rural medieval town, well known for its spectacular Cathedral and Stonehenge nearby.
In 1999 I left a cold and grey England in order to have an adventure of a lifetime, I was 29 years. I planned to stay in Australia for 12 months and travel around - but fate had other plans as I met my gorgeous Australian hunk, who captured my heart and became my husband.
Before I left the UK, I’d already had a 10-year career working in the Life Insurance Industry as an Underwriter - which is essentially a corporate office job type role. I continued to work in that same industry for a further 20 years in Sydney.
Then, in 2017, after 30 years in the corporate world, I decided to take a career break in order to focus on my elderly relatives in the UK. Then, as time went on things settled and they no longer needed my help - my mind turned a corner. I knew that I did not want to return to my old corporate job, and it was time to do something different.
But what? Nursing maybe? Nursing has been part of my family heritage. Three key women in my life were nurses... but did I really, at the age of 48, want to start a 4-year degree?
Then a girlfriend of mine told me about someone she knew who, like me, was looking for a career change and was now a pathology collector - and she loved it!
Perhaps I could do that? So I did some research of my own and with the help of Google, LTT popped up!
I learned from LTT’s website that the course was short and they held free information sessions at their training centre in Parramatta. Perfect. Let’s go check this out!
The information day was a blessing - and there were many attractive features to the course:
• the class sizes were small
• there was a balance between home-based and practical in class learning, and
• very attractively, the opportunity for placement at the end of the course.
Tick, tick, tick. I signed up and started my course in August 2018. My trainer was Kathie.
The training was comprehensive and full of Kathie’s personal anecdotes which kept the class fun. There was a lot of content to cover in a short period, but as long as you committed to the home learning modules it was achievable. I think the practical part of the course, that being the skills needed to successfully draw blood, were the most nerve wrecking, but also the most essential. I think it’s safe to say that the learning curve was steep, but we all had the skills needed by the end of the course.
In a nutshell, LTT put me on the road to pursue my career change. In my late 40’s I wasn’t sure if this old dog could learn new tricks, but with help, guidance, and dedication I did.
Following my certification, I was recruited quickly by Australian Clinical Labs as Pathology Collector and I continue to work with them. My role takes me to various different collection rooms in the northern metro area of Sydney. I can hand on heart say I love this line of work. Most particularly I love the interaction with my patients, they are all so different and all have a story to tell. I tell my friends that my job is a bit like speed dating but without the romance. I’ve been told the most amazing stories in the short five minutes I am with them - some hilarious, and some tragic. I feel incredibly privileged that they feel safe enough to share these extraordinary stories with me. ”
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