TasTAFE ICT graduate shares her inspiring journey

Sabrina Blundell’s journey into the ICT sector is a compelling story. As a neurodiverse adult learner, full-time parent, and now a valued employee, she exemplifies the qualities of resilience, adaptability and the transformative power of inclusive education.

Sabrina began her studies at TasTAFE’s Alanvale Campus in 2023, completing both her Certificate III and Certificate IV in Information Technology in 2024. But her route to the TasTAFE classroom was far from conventional.

After struggling with bullying and poor mental health through high school and college, she started 4 University degrees and completed none of them. Negative self-talk and feelings of anxiety, burn-out, being overwhelmed and of “not fitting in” were her constant companions.

“I just knew that I was different, but I didn't know why,” Sabrina said. “It felt like everybody else had an instruction manual for life and I was floundering to figure out the most basic things.”

Sabrina eventually got some answers: she was diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) at 33, then Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD Level 2) at 34. To use the community-coined expression that she prefers, Sabrina discovered that she was an ‘AuDHDer’.

“It was a long-awaited explanation of why life had been so hard,” she said, “– why I couldn’t seem to ‘stick’ to anything long term.”

By this stage, Sabrina and her husband Paul had welcomed their 2 children into the world – both of whom are also neurodiverse, leading Sabrina and Paul to embrace tailored, child-led home schooling as the most supportive pathway.

When Sabrina decided to pursue her interest in ICT at TasTAFE, her chosen course was full. However, a place opened up, and while she joined the course late, she quickly caught up and excelled. With an exceptional work ethic, she consistently submitted high-quality work, was a major contributor to class discussions, supported her peers, and maintained an outstanding attendance record.

Sabrina had found her calling – helped by TasTAFE Disability Liaison Officer James Newton who developed a Learning Access Plan for Sabrina; and her adaptable teachers Richard Kemp, Paul Vandenberg and Scott Bryan who made changes to delivery methods and classroom environments to support her diverse learning needs. These included:

• constructive suggestions around teamwork
• fixed rather than flexible due dates
• releasing full-term learning modules to allow processing time
• changes to the TasTAFE learning management system Canvas to show course progression; and
• suggestions around using adaptive technologies.

“Right from the very beginning I felt I was able to talk to the teaching team about anything I didn’t understand or wanted clarity on,” Sabrina said. “Having this trust in them allowed me to overcome the many challenges that come with being a neurodivergent learner. It is not a sign of weakness to ask for help or ask for accommodations that enable you to succeed.”

On top of engaging with her ICT training at TasTAFE, another challenge for Sabrina was taking time-out from parenting and home schooling to pursue her studies – a move that required further flexibility, at home and at TasTAFE.

“I would encourage young parents to study – but set realistic expectations, think carefully about support systems, course flexibility, and reasons for studying. If it's for growth, stability or setting an example for your kids, those are powerful motivators. But there’s no one ‘right’ timeline: it’s OK to do it in stages. And you’re not a failure if you need to slow down, defer or shift direction.”

Sabrina’s lived experience and collaboration with her teachers have had a positive impact – helping shape a more inclusive and supportive educational experience for current and future TasTAFE learners.

Since graduating Sabrina has embraced a new job opportunity: she was offered a contract role as an IT Support Officer with the Department for Education, Children and Young People (DECYP) on the day she submitted her final TasTAFE assignment.

She now works across four primary schools in Launceston, including Riverside Primary, where her own children now attend part-time.

In her role, Sabrina supports teachers with technical troubleshooting, software installation and digital learning initiatives. She is known for her ability to build rapport, provide practical support, and foster digital confidence among educators and children alike. Her work has received glowing feedback from school staff and administrators, with one principal expressing a heartfelt wish to have her on-site full-time.

Sabrina’s story is a pure expression of the TasTAFE vision – transforming lives through learning – and a moving example of what is possible when talent and resilience meet flexibility, adaptability and opportunity.

“My message to others would be to run your own race,” Sabrina said. “No matter where you start from, how many setbacks you’ve had, or how messy your life feels, there’s always a way forward.

“TasTAFE gave me the skills to change my life for the better – it was the best decision I could have made.”