Alex Weedon-Newstead
I’m passionate about working directly with people to improve their wellbeing.
I enrolled at UTS as a mature age student, having previously completed a Bachelor of Psychological Science with Honours in Criminology. I began my career in the public sector and while I was involved in some great projects, I found that I was more interested in the idea of working directly with individuals. This, combined with a passion for sports coaching, inspired me to return to university to pursue the Bachelor of Sport and Exercise Science (Exercise Therapy).
I’m passionate about working directly with people to improve their wellbeing and achieve positive outcomes. I guess the spark for me to return to university came from coaching amateur sport, where I got to work with talented athletes and see them improve on the sporting field. I feel incredibly proud seeing the athletes I coach succeed at higher levels. I’d love to continue this in a professional context or work in a rehabilitation-based setting in future.
I spent a long time researching which university to attend during COVID-19 lockdown and decided on UTS for three reasons: the facilities at the Moore Park campus, the strong partnerships with industry and the quality of the teaching staff. I’m loving the degree and am enjoying the connections I’ve formed with staff and students.
The course has been well designed to introduce students to a variety of career paths. Assignments are based around practical tasks that would be required in industry, which is great for someone like me who wants a taste of different pathways after university. I’m expecting to build on this in 3rd year with my upcoming practicum.
My advice to students entering the course is to build connections at university. At UTS, we’re incredibly lucky to have a great campus with supportive staff. Take the time to chat to other students and the teachers. Everyone is really welcoming and there are so many opportunities for friendships and connections.
Thinking ahead to the future, I’m interested in pursuing the Masters of Physiotherapy or a research-based pathway after my undergraduate degree wraps up next year. I’d also love to do some travel!
