This time last year Laura Pegg was hard at work doing exams and finishing her Bachelor of Education degree at QUT.
When the 25-year-old returned to QUT's Kelvin Grove campus last week she was still hard at work - but this time in her role as a social studies and English teacher at Glenala State High.
Ms Pegg visited QUT with an enthusiastic group of Year 10 students as part of QUT's Explore Uni program, which aims to de-mystify university and encourages students to consider tertiary education after school.
"Back when I was in Year 10 at Caboolture High I came along to QUT for a visit like this," she said.
"It was my first experience of a university campus and from that day I knew QUT would be my uni."
Ms Pegg worked as a student ambassador while she was studying at QUT - a role that involved showing high schoolers around campus and sharing insights into university life.
Her visit this week with her Glenala High students marked the first time a QUT Explore Uni student ambassador has returned to the campus as a teacher with their own students.
Ms Pegg said she was loving her new job at the school in Durack, on Brisbane's southside.
"It surprises you every day because it's so diverse," she said. "On days like this (the Explore Uni visit) it's particularly great because you can really see the development that's going on in the students."
During her teaching course at QUT, Ms Pegg took part in the QUT Faculty of Education's award-winning Exceptional Teachers for Disadvantaged Schools (ETDS) program.
"That equipped me for teaching in low-SES schools and enabled me to do prac work in those areas," she said. "It allows you to just step into your role because you already have some experience before you leave uni."
The ETDS program worked with Education Queensland to secure Ms Pegg a job with Glenala State High in 2014 while she was still finishing university last year.
The program has more than 40 partner schools and is currently being expanded nationally.
In 2013 its success was recognised with an Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership (AITSL) Outstanding Contribution to the Profession of Teacher Education Award.
QUT's Explore Uni team (from QUT Equity Services) hosts about 7000 students on Explore Uni day visits each year, plus another 600 students over four camps each year.
High school students from all schools will also have a chance to explore the university at the annual QUT Open Day on July 27. Visit www.qut.edu.au for details.
Media contact: Mechelle McMahon, QUT media officer, media@qut.edu.au
