Work Placement Stresses

[Purple-Rose]

Hi All,

I am not the one to ask for help, but I am struggling with some workplace stress. I am studying a certificate 3 in Health Service Assistance and I know that I have to do about 120-180 hours during the placement which I am able to do. I haven't even started the placement, thinking about it really stress me out.

The only problem I have and its a big problem, I don't know how I will be able to get to the placement, I don't have a car license and they will be not way to get the license in time as I have to start from the beginning with sitting the "L" learners test.  I don't have that many friends and I have trouble in asking them for help when I need it.  If i don't do the placement I will not pass the course.

Any advice or help would be great, thank you all for your time.

[Bob_22]

Hi Purple-Rose

Welcome to the forums. I understand a little bit of what you're going through as I am also at tafe and have to complete 160 hours of work placement. Luckily I was able to have some of my work count as placement hours which has eased the stress but I can understand it must be daunting for most students. Most TAFE campuses counsellors who can provide support to those affected by stress, mental health or disabilities. I have a friend who sees one and they sound very helpful. Here is some info I found: https://www.tafensw.edu.au/counselling-career-development-services/personal-counselling-wellbeing 

Outside of this I would recommend talking to your teacher and explaining your situation. Most TAFE teachers are quite flexible and accommodating especially when it comes to something out of your control like transport. Alternatively is there any public transport available that you could use for placement? 

Keep us updated.

Bob

[Mark Z.]

Hi Purple-Rose,

It's understandable that you're feeling stressed about this situation. I agree with Bob that the first thing you can try is to talk to your TAFE counsellors or coordinators who might be able to help.

In addition, you can also consider carpool. Try to find out if any of your classmates, colleagues or friends are going to the same location or live nearby. They might be willing to carpool with you, which could be a cost-effective and convenient solution for both of you. I understand that you might feel uncomfortable asking for help, but try to remember that everyone needs help from time to time. You might be surprised by how willing they are to assist you.

If your placement is not too far from your residence, consider biking or even walking as a healthy and environmentally friendly option, if public transport is not so convenient.

You can also consider using ridesharing services like Uber or Didi to get to your placement. Although this might be more expensive than other options, it could be a temporary solution until you obtain your driver's license.

Remember to work on obtaining your driver's license. While you may not be able to get your license in time for this particular placement, starting the process now will benefit you in the long run. This will open up more transportation options for you in the future. 

Hope it helps a bit.

Mark