By Matthew Younan
A year-10 high school student unsure of what to do with her life and feeling like traditional school didn’t suit her, Mollie Testro was about to drop out.
Hating school, she’d lost self-confidence and was confused about the direction of her life.
“I’ve always suffered from anxiety and low self-esteem, I wasn’t sure what to do,” Mollie said.
“COVID hit and I hated online schooling. School wasn’t my thing. I thought I’d rather work and earn some money. I didn’t like doing standard school subjects like maths and English every day. I wanted variety and a challenge.”
Enter her mother, Sharyn Testro, and a careers adviser at Mollie’s school, Melton Christian College.
Those two conversations changed her life.
They told the Bacchus Marsh pupil about a vocational major and a certificate III in dental assisting at Chisholm TAFE, mostly online.
“My school never really offered that before so when my work offered it, I approached my school and said is this an option. I asked if they’d be willing to help me with this.
“They said they’d give it a go.”
Mollie enrolled at Chisholm and hasn’t taken a step backwards.
“We did classes with the teacher via Zoom one night a week and finished the course in six months, half the time it normally took.”
Rather than work at the local burger joint or supermarket like some of her classmates, the then-16-year-old chose to be a junior dental assistant at her local dentist, Dental House Group at Bacchus Marsh.
Doing typical mundane cleaning duties such as mopping the floors and cleaning the bathrooms, Mollie took it in her stride.
After six months of working there, she was offered a traineeship on the condition she completed her year 12 studies.
Mollie said she was working 11-hour days, three days a week and on Saturdays at the dental clinic.
Two years later the now 18-year-old has managed to turn her life around.
Having overcome adversity and graduating at the top of her dental assisting course, Mollie flourished, and has already become the head nurse for general anaesthetics at the surgery.
Mollie won trainee of the year award at the annual Chisholm Awards on June 25 after being nominated by her lecturers at Chisholm TAFE for her willingness to have a go, positive attitude and building a student community in the TAFE classroom.
“I was juggling full-time work and full-time school because I was there two days a week, but I had to use my weekends to catch up on everything I missed,” she said.
“I did all that and finished year 12 and my certificate in October last year.”
Not one to rest on her laurels, she has enrolled in certificate IV in dental assisting, and is currently working with general anaesthetics and enjoys working with dental implants and major mouth rehabilitation.
“I knew I had to finish school and I made it happen.
“At the end of year 12, I won the subject achievement award for VCAL.”
Mollie said she couldn’t have done it without the support from her family and the guidance from her teachers and work colleagues.
“My teacher at Chisholm, Jill, was amazing and supported me through my journey.
“Bacchus Marsh Dental have been supportive, and they continue to support me and help me succeed with all my goals.”
“It was difficult but I’m really glad I did it and pushed through.”
Her advice to anyone thinking about trying an alternative to high school is “give it a go, follow your passion and do what you enjoy. You’ve got nothing to lose.”
