Jaxon turns his passion into a tech career

"I've always been into autonomous technology and telecommunications projects - it's something I'm passionate about.”

"Choosing autonomous technology felt like the natural direction for me. When I started studying, everything just made sense, and I knew I was on the right path,” explained Jaxon.

Drawn to the endless possibilities of technology, he enrolled in the Certificate II in Autonomous Technologies (10935NAT) through the TAFE at Schools program in 2023. 

Eager to build foundational skills that would set the stage for his future in fields like electronic design, programming, and industrial design, his classes were filled with hands-on learning, electronic and coding exploration, and unforgettable experiences.

"I enjoyed coming to TAFE because the hands-on, practical units are different from regular schooling—we got to work on things that weren't part of the standard curriculum,” continued Jaxon.

“The learning was oriented toward my interests and passions, which made studying more engaging, as did the adult learning environment. And being around like-minded classmates made it easier for me to connect and make friends.”

Through the course, Jaxon gained an understanding of software, hardware, and the frameworks that support autonomous environments.

He learned Python programming basics and worked hands-on with cutting-edge technologies like MicroMelon Robotics, which gave him a glimpse into coding, programming, and robotics simulation.

As he honed his skills, he realised his passion lay in understanding these systems and how they could be applied in real-world innovations.

After completing the course, Jaxon felt ready to dive deeper into the tech industry, which led him to follow his passion for cyber security, enrolling in the specialised Certificate IV in Cyber Security (22603VIC).

“Pivoting to cyber security felt like a natural extension of my interests. While electronics gave me a broad foundation, cyber security let me dive deeper into the theoretical side of things, which I enjoy," he explained.

“The course is very different, but it’s an up-and-coming industry with huge demand for cyber security professionals worldwide.”

Jaxon is using Fee-Free TAFE funding to study for his cyber security career, which is part of the Queensland Government's Good People. Good jobs: Queensland Workforce Strategy 2022–2032.

It aims to connect, educate, and attract the people needed to meet the state's workforce demand in existing and new industry sectors and support continued economic growth.

With approximately 37,000 Fee-Free TAFE and vocational education and training places available in 2024, the program will support Queenslanders to skill up to meet the state's current and future workforce needs by enabling them to complete selected qualifications at no or low cost.

“I’m hoping to use the money I saved to pay for my Bachelor of Cyber Security studies at university after I’ve completed my TAFE studies.”

This cyber security program has introduced Jaxon to the critical skills to safeguard networks and protect sensitive information by implementing network security infrastructure, detecting breaches, and developing solutions to secure systems.

Alongside his technical training, the course equipped Jaxon with essential soft skills like stakeholder management and problem-solving, which would prove invaluable in his future career.

After graduating, Jaxon will have the skills, knowledge, and confidence to continue studying cyber security, where he hopes to enter the industry as a penetration tester.

"As a penetration tester, companies rely on you to assess their security by simulating attacks, essentially hacking their systems to find weaknesses before actual threats exploit them.”

“It could be anything from remotely accessing their network to testing their physical security - it's all about identifying vulnerabilities before real threats do, and that excites me," he concluded.

Jaxon’s journey with TAFE Queensland has turned his curiosity into a career by giving him the technical skills, knowledge and confidence to pursue a fulfilling career in one of the most in-demand sectors today.