Meet Dion: Tradie to Teacher

While the thought of swapping the tools for the classroom always lingered in the back of Dion Kingi’s mind, making it happen was the biggest hurdle.

Enter: The Department of Education’s pilot Trade to Teach Internship Program.

While a career change after three decades in the building industry isn’t something you hear often, Dion grabbed the opportunity with both hands and is now well on his way to becoming a teacher.

We recently sat down with him to learn about his experiences so far and why he hasn’t looked back since making the switch.

Can you tell us about your study journey and what made you want to study Education at UniSQ?

Making a difference has been my motivation for as long as I can remember. Teaching others has been part of this motivation, whether socially, in mentoring or at work. The building industry has been my life for the last 33 years, mainly as a residential builder utilising my carpentry trade. A few years ago, I contemplated downsizing my building company or pivoting to another industry as the body had had enough of the years on the building site.

Along came the Trade to Teach program and I commenced in the pilot program shortly after. The program is conducted in partnership with two universities, including UniSQ. I’m very glad I chose UniSQ as its online interface, resources and support are excellent.

I’m in my second year of Bachelor of Education (Secondary) as part of the Trade to Teach Internship Pilot Program, majoring in Industrial Technology and Design and minoring in Engineering Skills. This year, I started the internship side of the program – working as an Industrial Technology and Design teacher intern in a local state secondary high school on the Sunshine Coast while continuing my education degree.

Why did you want to be part of the Trade to Teach program?

To put it simply, I was looking to get off the tools. I’ve always liked helping people and teaching others and had four apprentices when the Trade to Teach offer came along. My wife is a veteran teacher, and the program came up on her social feed immediately after our conversation about options other than building.

I’d joked over the years that I’d never be a teacher after witnessing the amount of after-hours work that my wife did. But after switching my mindset from teaching apprentices to teaching students, I applied and successfully started the internship. Being a pilot program, I figured the internship structure would sometimes be fluid. Still, I was surprised at how well run it is – offering plenty of support, flexibility, and opportunities to provide advice, ask questions, and gain experience as a teacher. The UniSQ and Trade to Teach teams have been brilliant in offering the guidance we needed to transition from the building site to the classroom.

What’s been the best part of the Trade to Teach program?

Teaching the students has been the best part of this program. As Trade to Teach interns, we are spoilt as we are financially supported through the study journey and can teach before we even graduate. The internship has allowed this to happen this year and I’m really enjoying teaching so far. I have a fantastic supervisor at my school and an innovative and supportive faculty and school, resulting in an incredible opportunity to make a difference to the students as I learn to teach.

My industry experience has helped students link their education to real life in many situations. Initially, I often forgot that I was in a university or school classroom instead of a worksite, but the team around me graciously guided and helped me adapt.

What advice would you give to aspiring teachers thinking about the program?

Teaching is hard. Any teacher will tell you that. But the rewards are worth it. Being student-focused helps and the school holidays are great too – PAID holidays too by the way! If you like helping others, teaching is a great vocation to allow you to help so many people. I’m able to teach unsupervised this term after completing my Gradual Release Indicators (GRI) requirements at the end of last term, allowing me to dive deep into where my students are at and how I can best help them during their study journey.

Time management is critical for this internship. Having good time management is probably the biggest piece of advice I’d give anyone wanting to switch from being a tradie to a teacher. The university load at the start of the internship is heavy, so mapping out your life is key to getting through the work. Pending the credits you get, you can be doing full time university for most of the first year. This is equivalent to a full-time job. We had a few interns work full-time AND study full-time AND had young families. They’re amazing but the exception!

It was a tough slog the first semester as I was working full-time on a major renovation, closing my business – including relocating my apprentices to other builders – and learning how to do university. I ended up settling into part-time work as an Industrial Technology and Design teacher aide for a local school while studying full-time.

Finally, prepare financially. Teaching is not as financially rewarding as the building industry so do the numbers before signing up!

Is there anything else you’d like to mention?

The Trade to Teach program is a great opportunity to become a teacher. You’re financially supported and fully resourced along the entire journey. Where else do you get paid to study and have a guaranteed job while being surrounded by a motivated, innovative team along the way? To me, it’s a no-brainer.

Applications for the 2025 round of Trade to Teach are open until September 22 2024.