Student Q&A: Bradley Kappler

Editor's note: Bradley successfully completed his studies with Upskilled in February 2021. 

Taking a different career direction has many positives and for Bradley Kappler, he was lucky enough to secure a role as a support worker at the start of his course journey with Upskilled.

He's currently undertaking the qualification in Individual Support (Disability) and has found that doing the coursework has been beneficial to his role as a support worker. Initially, he was studying IT but found that he wanted to do something meaningful where he could help others. 

In this Q&A, Bradley shares how he is going with his course, the benefits he's experienced from studying online and what goals he has planned once he finishes his qualification. 

What inspired you to switch from studying IT to Individual Support (Disability)?

 What inspired me to change was the ability to change an individual’s life. I’ve always carried a passion for wanting to put other people's needs before myself. I love learning about different cultures and how we as support workers can really make changes and help an individual’s life, creating a better place for all of us to live in. 

Since I was 21 years old, I had a passion for wanting to change other people’s lives but always worked full-time in retail. I decided one day to take a step back and go part-time while starting the Individual Support (Disability) qualification. Since that day, I’ve never looked back.

We think it’s great that you managed to secure a role that’s related to the course. Do you find that now you’re working in the field, you can apply the principles from your course to real work experiences?

 Certainly. When I was studying the course at the start, I found it new and kinda difficult to understand certain aspects of it. However, by gaining a position as a support worker, I find doing assignments a lot quicker and easier because I can put what I’ve done to help my clients into my written work. I love being able to come home from work and learn more about what I can do to help my clients and provide them with better support and applying that to my studies as well.

What have you enjoyed about your studies so far?

 I’ve enjoyed everything about my course, especially learning how to deal with different types of disabilities and learning about different cultural needs and backgrounds. I love how what I’ve learnt from this course applies to my field of work. The videos provided in each subject are fantastic to watch since I can write down notes from them. My trainer is quick to give me feedback on how to improve my work which is great because that means I can address it quickly and make my work perfect.

What do you think are the benefits of studying online?

 The flexibility to be able to work all hours of the day and having the ability to come home and study and not feel like I’ve missed anything. I love being able to study [online] because I can take regular breaks when I need to instead of being in a class for 3 hours trying to remember everything that was talked about. I can move at my own pace, which is perfect considering I may be needed at work at any time as a support worker.

What professional and personal qualities do you need in an individual support role?

 You really must have a passion for wanting to help individuals who need that extra help doing everyday things such as cleaning, cooking and driving around. You need to have an understanding that anytime you have a shift, you put everything in your life behind and put that individual’s needs first because it’s all about helping them achieve their goals and needs. Having a good relationship with clients is a huge part of being a successful support worker.

Do you have any short or long-term goals you’d like to achieve once you finish your course? 

 Once my course is finished, my long-term goal is to be a senior support worker overtime and having more control and interacting into the admin side of disability work, working more closely with clients to improve and create new support plans with them. 

My short-term goal is to hopefully get full-time employment as I’m about to turn 25 years of age. My partner and I would like to buy a house within the next two to three years. I understand and acknowledge that most work in the disability field is casual because it’s 24/7 support on call and you need to do overnight shifts regularly. 

Upskill for a career where you can make a difference

 If you're passionate about helping clients with their everyday needs like Bradley, consider studying the Individual Support (Disability) qualification with Upskilled. This course has theoretical and practical elements, helping you prepare for job roles such as a support worker in the disability field.

Plus, this qualification can be done online, which can help you manage your work and personal priorities. Get in touch with Upskilled by calling 1300 009 924 and enquire about this course today.