Who said playing video games wouldn’t get you anywhere?

For Carl J., a 41-year-old student from Queensland studying at Duke, it’s the whole reason he started studying.

He’s completing ICT30120 Certificate III in Information Technology.

“I grew up fascinated with computers. I started getting into modding video games – something I taught myself.”

It was a natural move, then, to take his love of computers and run with it – all the way to enrolment. 

Carl’s Frozen Screen

But Carl has experienced a glitch in terms of work and study for seven long years, after an ankle injury resulted in him being diagnosed with Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS).

Having previously worked in retail and security, Carl now has to wear a moonboot most days, and his injury has made study and work near-impossible for him.

Rebooting with Duke

This changed when his employment consultant told him about Duke.

“My coach said, ‘Look, you can do it from home, and you can go at your own pace – it’d be perfect for you.’”

Since then, Carl’s been turning passion into profession, step by step.

Carl, who also lives with a functional neurological condition, loves the student-led learning format. He takes it at his own pace, and learns when it suits him. 

“Some days I can function. Others, my brain’s like, ‘Nope!’”

Having that flexibility? Priceless for someone whose motivation ebbs and flows. 

“I have days where I’m just not motivated. But then I have other days where I’ll just smash it out.” 

Why Carl is Loving His Course

The best thing about Duke’s learning format, other than the flexibility, is the conversational tone, Carl says. 

“The conversational chats make it really interactive and relatable.”

“While studying, sometimes I catch up with my partner (who lives overseas) on FaceTime.”

Carl’s Dreams in IT

Carl didn’t have any experience in IT before starting the course, but he’s gained new-found confidence for his future job search.

“Now I know how this all works. I can even see where I’ve made coding errors in my own IT hobbies.”

“Getting through this course and knowing I completed something, despite my health challenges, would be a huge success for me.”

Good on you, Carl. We’re with you, every step of the way!