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David never tires of uni after beating chronic fatigue
Chronic fatigue torpedoed David Perhouse's hopes of a great OP score when he was at school, but it didn't wipe out his chances of a great university career.
David, from Narangba, is excelling in a double degree in maths and biology at QUT in Brisbane this year after completing an adult tertiary preparation course at TAFE in 2011.
He credits the prep course with putting his education back on track and getting him into university this year and is sharing his story to inspire other would-be uni students.
"Chronic fatigue in high school yielded an amazingly low OP," he said.
"So I went to work and I had a successful career in concrete sales that ended in 2008 when the global financial crisis affected the construction industry.
"I didn't want to continue through life in a series of ultimately fruitless work positions, so it was clearly time to do something else.
"In 2011 I returned to full-time study to complete the Certificate IV in Adult Tertiary Preparation at Brisbane North Institute of TAFE."
David said he chose QUT after researching his university choices and discovering QUT was the recipient of a recent Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation award for biotechnology research. The university's location also appealed.
He said he was surviving financially on a combination of Centrelink benefits (Youth Allowance), the Centrelink administered Start-Up Scholarship, plus seasonal work and savings.
People interested in doing the Certificate IV in Adult Tertiary Preparation (Year 12 alternative) can attend information sessions on the course at Brisbane North Institute of TAFE's Caboolture campus in Tallon Street on December 5 (5pm-6.30pm) or at the Ithaca campus at Fulcher Road, Red Hill, on December 6 (5pm to 6.30pm). Call 131248 to register, or visit www.bn.tafe.qld.gov.au.
Media contact: Mechelle McMahon, QUT media officer, 07 3138 9449 (Mon-Tues)
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