Basirat Alieva
Basirat Alieva moved from Russia with no family, and a background in sales. When her daughter was born, Basirat decided to change careers to a sector with family-friendly hours and flexibility.
She was drawn to the Diploma of Early Childhood Education and Care at Chisholm Institute of TAFE because it was close to home, flexible, and would give her a new career path.
Recognising the value of this Free TAFE course, Basirat continues to speak highly of it to her friends and colleagues. Her goal is to pursue further education and complete her Bachelor degree.
Basirat worked extremely hard to overcome language barriers during her training. While she speaks three languages, English wasn’t her strongest. What gave her an advantage was her lived experience of different cultures. With children in her care from diverse backgrounds, she could bridge both language and cultural divides.
Basirat’s determination has inspired others – in her workplace and in her studies. The last 12 months have been extremely challenging for her. She became the sole parent to her young daughter, moved house, and changed her daughter’s child-care centre to the centre where she works.
When working with the kindergarten children (3-5 years of age), Basirat found their behaviours challenging and felt the language barrier was letting her down. Rather than be filled with self-doubt, she asked for help and tried different educational methods to gain control of the classroom.
As a result, her confidence increased dramatically. She not only continues to build her skills, but she has also found her groove in the centre, confident to work with all age groups.
Highly valued by her colleagues for her kindness and willingness to help in any situations, Basirat is forging a positive new career. She was nominated for the Trainee of the Year Award in the 2024 Chisholm Education Awards by her teachers who have said that the childcare industry needs educators like Basirat. With her enthusiasm and dedication, and her kindness and willingness to help, she has become a positive example for others to follow.