Instead, she found a learning environment that welcomed teenagers through to middle-aged people.

“I was nervous because I thought I was too old to go back to learning, but it was good,” Mrs Ariesen said on Friday as people filed into the student hub at Dubbo College’s Myall Street campus.

With an assistant in nursing qualification under her belt, 37-year-old Mrs Ariesen has found the confidence to take another step on her education journey. The community worker with Catholic Community Services will study for a Certificate Four in Community Services in an effort to “open more doors”.

Mrs Ariesen has not needed to tap into the many support services on offer at Dubbo College.

“I just found that the teachers gave me everything I needed,” she said.

The mature-age student said it was an “advantage having teachers from the industry”. “They give you knowledge and experience from what they know,” she said.

Dubbo College engagement officer Fiona Westcott expected hundreds of people to visit the hub on Friday to “investigate” their options for study, support services and enrolment. One-on-one meetings with teachers allowed participants to make “informed decisions”, she said.“We find that if you have an interest or a passion in something, your attendance, your willingness to complete, is higher,” the engagement officer said.

The busy day was part of the TAFE NSW Open Week involving 130 campuses across NSW. About 6000 students enrol annually at Dubbo College that has three campuses offering a wide range of courses in areas such as construction, agriculture, fine arts, conservation and land management.