Ellie Wotherspoon received an ATAR high enough to get into almost any university course in Western Australia, including “prestigious” subjects like law, philosophy and molecular science.
Now, working as an electrician with oil and gas giant Woodside after studying at TAFE, Wotherspoon said she had found her calling. But the path there was not easy.
Ellie Wortherspoon, from WA, has attended TAFE and university after receiving an ATAR over 90.
“Even though my brother was pursuing an electrical trade and my dad and my granddad are both electricians, I never thought that I should do it,” Wotherspoon said.
“I never saw a female electrician in Cowaramup, the small country town I grew up in (and) the subjects I gravitated towards and performed better in at high school were also humanities-based subjects, like art, English literature and history.”
Wotherspoon said she hadn’t been pressured in any direction by family and friends, but the school system had influenced her next step.
“The ATAR pathway is heavily influenced by the criteria to be admitted into university and, consequently, this was where I ended up,” she said.
Both vocational and university education pathways should be considered by students as an equal first option.
Ellie Wotherspoon
She enrolled in a Bachelor of Arts, majoring in history, at the University of Western Australia with the goal of converting to a teaching degree with a Diploma of Education at the end.
While there, Wotherspoon was told about the teaching course at the University of Notre Dame, and how it provided more practical learning opportunities.
Wotherspoon won WA Apprentice of the Year 2024 at the 30th WA Training Awards.
She jumped across but, at 19, took some time out of university and found herself nannying for a female electrician in Karratha, which inspired her to join BHP’s Women in Industry program.
Wotherspoon received a scholarship to complete a Certificate III in Process Manufacturing at South Metropolitan TAFE.
“I discovered a passion for the hands-on, challenging nature of industrial work. This experience ... showed me that impactful learning doesn’t only happen in a classroom – it can thrive in dynamic, hands-on settings,” she said.
“One thing I have learned during my studies is that both vocational and university education pathways should be considered by students as an equal first option.
“The important thing is to determine which one suits you. Regardless of your academic standing, seek out all the information about both university and vocational education and training options you need to make an informed decision about which path you would like to take.”
Now 26 and working FIFO from Perth at a Woodside project offshore from Karratha, Wotherspoon also went on to complete her teaching degree this year and is planning to also take up teaching opportunities if they presented themselves, and are possible.
“My role allows me to … advocate for young people to have access to relevant career paths and encouraging more women to consider careers in non-traditional roles,” she said.
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