Aoife Jones from Northern Ireland, along with the south-west's Hannah Duffus, are teaching as part of the 2022 Teach For Australia's Leadership Development Program through Australian Catholic University.

They are in their first year of the two-year masters degree.

Ms Jones said she left her legal corporate role at a top accounting firm for a career in education because she was 'fed up'.

"It was making the rich, richer and the culture in the office was that you could go a week without saying 'hello' to another staff member," she said.

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It was during lockdowns when she helped her sister's children study at home that she decided to pursue a career in education.

She moved to Australia in November, 2021.

Ms Jones said teaching in Terang was a 'massive' learning curve.

"It's a different culture," she said.

"I've been learning a lot of Australian slang words.

"It's been really rewarding and the students have really made it worth it."

Ms Jones said it was a big thing to study at university because her parents and grandparents didn't have the same opportunity.

"It's a privilege coming from a town of 10,000-15,000 people in the Fermanagh county," she said.

Ms Jones said education in Australia and Northern Ireland were similar, but Ireland was segregated into religions.

"Here in Australia it's a lot more cultural and inclusive and community based than what it would be at home," she said.

Ms Jones also has a Bachelor of Law with a minor in English Literature.

Ms Duffus was Terang College's Dux in 2013.

She then studied a Bachelor of Arts at Monash University in Melbourne and the honours year at Worcester College, University of Oxford through a scholarship in 2020.

She wanted to pursue a career as an academic in higher education before turning to teaching.

"I wanted to use the skills and knowledge I have acquired since leaving Terang College to promote equity in my home community," she said.

Ms Duffus said it also gave her the opportunity to return home instead of moving to Melbourne. The final round of applications for the Leadership Development Program's 2023 intake closes on Sunday.

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