Diploma in Community Services                           

 St. George & Sutherland Community College 

Sydney, Australia

 Intake: Summer 2021                               

 Enrolment Status: Full Time

________________________________________________________________________

Date – 

 Subject: Student Visa Extension (#######)

Kind Attention of:

Immigration Officer

Respected Ma’am/Sir,

Through this letter, I seek your approval for procuring an extension of my Student Visa Permit that shall allow me to pursue a Diploma in Community Services from the St. George & Sutherland Community College. Since the awareness and executions of plans for the differently- abled have started rolling, the requirement for support workers has increased, and the concept of community services has gained momentum, especially amidst this pandemic.

As a community support worker, I am fervent to improve my expertise through this course’s comprehensive syllabus and utilize the same on the field. Therefore, I sincerely request you to grant sanction to my extension of the Student Visa which would give me the opportunity of upgrading my academia and broaden my career prospects. 

Personal Background

Born to learned parents, I have been privileged with ample nurturing and resources. We are a family of <insert no. of people> residing in ______________. My mother is a delightful homemaker and is the adhesive for our family. My father runs his own Cardamom plantation business based at ________. I have an elder sister, who is settled in Australia and is working as a registered nurse. While my parents have encouraged my inputs and involvement in the decisions for the family, the primary teachings to my sibling and me have revolved around building our ethical characters and performing with diligence in academia and everything else we partake in.

I have been studying in Australia since 2018 and am well versed with its social and workplace environments and therefore aim to continue with my academic pursuits here itself. Although I do have a technical background, but it was after coming to Australia that I realized that social work is my true calling. I have been working as a disability support worker since the last one year, and it has been nothing short of an absolute inspiration. My job role has constantly encouraged me to strive harder to soar higher.

Educational and Professional  Background

The desire that ignites the curiosity to learn is a virtue, and I for one believe that I possess it unquestionably. Throughout my life, I have been a quick and keen learner and have always been focused on my future objectives. and I believe that my choice of academic pursuits and explorations of extra-curriculum activities substantiates my individuality and inquisitiveness.

I completed my Secondary Education in 2006 from Ossanam English Medium Higher Secondary School with a decent score of ___. I opted for science for my Higher Secondary education which I completed with a score of __, from St. George Higher Secondary School in the year 2008.

Following my penchant for the subjects, I completed my graduation from Mahatma Gandhi University in a Bachelor of Technology in Electronics and Communication Engineering in the year 2012. I knew that in today’s competitive atmosphere, basic graduation does not cut it and therefore got myself enrolled for a Master of Engineering in Mechatronics from Anna University for a period of two years. As a part of the curriculum, I was involved in projects like ‘Vision Based Sign Language Identification System’ and Object ‘Identification Based on Structured Light Reconstruction and CAD Based Matching.’

Throughout my college life, I was active in attending as well as conducting workshops based on the subjects like robotics and image processing which helped me gain a wider perspective of the things I read in theory. Apart from the scholarly pursuits, I take interest in numismatics and philately for which I won prizes.

As a student, I was partially satisfied with my academic foundations and was ready to apply them in the practice. I got an opportunity to intern at WABCO Vehicle Control Systems for a period of six months and was absorbed by the company as a Mechatronics Engineer. Being in the company for two years I gained technical skills and enriched my practical knowledge w.r.t governing operational and production activities, regulations, guidelines, and statutory compliances in the industry. However, I realized that I needed to work on my career prospects to expand my horizons. I decided to apply for jobs in Australia as a part of my ulterior objective of gaining international work experience. 

After arriving in Australia in 2017, my first job here was at Caltex fuel Station as a fuel station attendant and eventually became a Food Service Attendant at Healthcare. The exposure through these job profiles was immense because it introduced me to a whole new arena. It is under these roles I realized and understood that management forms a crucial fragment of each profession. After putting deep thoughts, I decided to pursue a course in management. I applied at the Kaplan Business School for a Master of Business Administration and completed it in 2020. The thorough curriculum aided me in achieving in-depth knowledge of marketing, accounting, finance, sales, and human resourcing. I possessed a work ethic that underlines due respect to organizational hierarchy and has always worked in roles that required few managerial or leadership skills, it was usually the technical acumen that came in handy.  However, there was dissatisfaction in terms of the management and leadership aptitudes which lead me to pursue a Diploma in Management and Leadership from JP International College.

Initially my plan was to get through the diploma and return to my home country where I would learn from and assist my father in his Cardamom plantation business. However, due to the pandemic situation, I wasn’t able to travel and had to find something for myself to sustain. I recalled my time as a Food Assistant at healthcare. Since I had more qualifications this time, I was appointed as a disability support worker in Access Lifecare Pvt. Ltd.

Why pursues this course?

Although a late and accidental realization, I have now positively resonated with community and healthcare services and aim to move forward in this direction. Having a core technological background that was layered with management upgradations seemed to be a handicap in this situation. The enhanced interpersonal skills and recently achieved managerial acumen through the Diploma in management and leadership proved to be of great help for my current job role. I have seen my sister working as a nurse and took her advice which led me to decide on pursuing a Diploma in community services which is my newly found passion. I believe the qualities are present, they just need some dusting and polishing.

With a Diploma in Community Services, I look forward to establishing my forte and maturity as a socially oriented healthcare professional, along with the multiple opportunities to enhance my practical skills. The course shall enhance my judgment, decision-making skills and help boost my confidence in taking initiatives towards a holistic approach that specifically deal with the social, psychological, and emotional needs of the client, that are pre-requisites of a decent community worker.

Apart from this, the level of diversity I will be exposed to will aid me in improving my communication skills to organize, manage teams to meet the goals of the clients efficiently. The program shall equip me with the fundamental skills required for collaborative implementation.

Why Study in Australia?

Australia, at present, holds the record of receiving and successfully fostering education the third-largest number of international students making it an educational hub. It is a welcoming country that boasts of its rich diversity and multicultural society. I am also most impressed with the synergy between people belonging to different cultures. The Australian Qualification Framework (AQF), which is recognized by the Australian Government, is an integrated countrywide system of qualifications. This allows students to seamlessly transition from one level of study to the next while receiving credit for past studies. This provides the students an opportunity to strike a balance between their professional and personal development. 

I have hoped to study and develop my research praxis amidst a progressive educational campus, where prototypical initiatives are encouraged. Australia is an ideal place for me to complete my course as the colleges here have an informed and pragmatic approach towards education and the learning methodologies are purely research-based. This sort of academic environment encourages the students towards critical thinking and innovativeness. The completion of this course will prove to be an added feather to my hat. 

Apart from this, since I have a part of home here, i.e., my sister, and the fact that I have been in Australia for the past four years substantiate my claims of being used to the environment and lifestyle here. Although my ultimate goal is to join my father’s business back in India, I ardently look forward to gaining invaluable practicum opportunities during my student tenure in Australia.

Why study at the St. George & Sutherland Community College?

St. George & Sutherland Community College has an incredible reputation in terms of the environment for students, the dedicated and qualified faculty, and top-notch facilities around-the-clock facilities. Their key for success is a mixture of outstanding academic education and practical training in a personalized and supportive atmosphere.

Moreover, this college is accredited by the Australian Community Workers Association, making it the only one with such a recognition in Sydney.

Their comprehensive 8-term course enables a tailored approach that they take with their pupils to provide the best opportunity for them broaden their career options which include, case manager, family support worker, program coordinators, and so on. The curriculum of my chosen course at the College is research-based as well as practically driven and allows flexible concentration choices as per individual interests.

They offer elevated facilities and equipment to aid learning outcomes, understand and satisfy their students’ requirements, and employ a team of professionals that are appropriately competent and equipped for their responsibilities and behave objectively and professionally. These were substantiated by my co-workers who have undergone vocational courses and even my manager. Further research into the College made me believe that this would be the apt destination for the course I want to pursue. 

My objective of becoming a healthcare professional will be aptly realized here due to its intensely supportive educational infrastructure. It is an honor to learn at such an acclaimed campus and to collaborate with the diverse peer community that it is famed for. I am positive that apart from my knowledge objectives, I will also be able to contribute productively while studying at SGSSC.

Career Plans 

After receiving the diploma, I path to various job roles in community service will open for me. Being a community service provider, I have realized that this is not a limited profession. It is a profession that deals with infrastructure, the environment, economy, citizenship, social justice, and most importantly mental health. It has boundless role functions because it is ultimately the humankind we are dealing with. And every human has their own set of issues that need to be dealt individually. This requires constant upgradation and a strong presence of mind. Through my knowledge, I would persevere to be good at whichever role I am given and be useful to the society at large.

Financial Eligibility

I have carefully evaluated the expenses involved with my foreign education in Australia and consulted the same with my father, who is the primary sponsor of my education. To affirm my admission, I have paid the 1st-semester fee of AUD______ with the Admission Department at the College and additionally, I have procured a GIC Card from (bank name) of AUD ____to suffice for my stay and miscellaneous expenses. Further, for future fund requirements, my father will arrange the same within comfortable means.

To validate my intent and claims, I am attaching the following documents with this letter for your kind review:

•    

A copy of my Valid Indian passport.

•    

Acceptance letter from JIPC.

•        

Receipt of Fees paid at the College.

•    

Deposit slip of my GIC card.

•    

Financial statement and Asset Certificate of (primary sponsor) duly attested by Bank Officer.

I hope to have presented my intent to study in Australia and continue staying here till the completion of my course, convincingly and look forward to your kind approval. Should you have any further concerns about my application, please feel free to connect with me through a phone call or an e-mail.

 Sincerely,