Dream career takes off thanks to GPC scholarship

KRYSTA Alexander’s teaching journey is about to reach new heights after the mother-of-two officially graduated with a Bachelor of Secondary Education thanks to Gladstone Ports Corporation’s (GPC) Scholarship accelerating her dream career.

The 26-year-old was a recipient of GPC’s Talent Today, Talent Tomorrow Secondary School bursary in 2016 before being awarded the scholarship in 2020.

Fast forward to 2023, Krysta is now officially a registered teacher.

It all started when she took the leap into teaching after uncovering her strengths at GPC where she was mentoring Indigenous trainees.

Since setting out on her teaching journey, Krysta has also started a family and joined Toolooa State High mentoring Indigenous students and teaching.

“I have been teaching at Toolooa State High as part of the ‘Permission to Teach Program’ that allows university students to begin their teaching career early if they meet the markers and approved by the university,” Krysta said.

Krysta said her goal is to help people throughout her teaching career.

“I enjoy building relationships with students and helping them to achieve their best. It definitely comes with its challenges but it is always worth it, especially when I have one student say that I helped them,” Krysta said.

The last year has been the hardest for the Alexander’s but the support from GPC has taken off the financial pressure to study.

“Our family experienced major damages to our home which put us out of our home for more than six months and in that time we also welcomed our second baby into the world,” Krysta said.

“With the support of my family, my work and through financial support from GPC scholarships, I was able to set out to achieve my dream,” she said.

“Now, finally, after six years of study and two beautiful kids I am finally a teacher.”

GPC CEO Craig Haymes said the Talent Today, Talent Tomorrow Scholarship program started almost a decade ago with GPC providing more than $91,000 in financial assistance since.

“It’s all part of our Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) to increase opportunities for members of the Aboriginal, Torres Strait Islander and Australian South Sea islander communities in the areas in which GPC operates,” Mr Haymes said.

“Krysta’s story is certainly inspirational but it’s also more than that, it shows us that by supporting our community with tertiary education we can create leaders who will inspire more leaders,” he said.

GPC is proud to have supported dozens of students throughout the Talent Today, Talent Tomorrow Bursary and Scholarship programs. One of these students includes Harrison Smith who was also awarded the scholarship in 2020. He is completing a double degree of a Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery at the University of Tasmania.