From childcare to AFTRS: Keeley’s giant leap of faith

Two years ago, Keeley Davies found herself in a bit of a rut.

Having negotiated life through a pandemic as best she could, Keeley was working in childcare but didn’t consider it to be her ‘forever’ job.

Always determined to push herself outside her comfort zone, she considered pursuing a media career.

“I’d always loved radio,” says Keeley. “Listening to Kyle and Jackie O, I always loved the games and stuff. I thought, that’s such a fun job to do. And it was so different to what everyone else I knew was doing.”

“I don’t want to be like everyone else. I want to be different!”

And so Keeley – who’s lived on the New South Wales Central Coast her whole life – took a giant leap of faith. She applied for, and was accepted into, a radio course through TAFE NSW.

It was a new lease of life and a fresh challenge for Keeley, which would ultimately lead her to the Australian Film Television and Radio School.

“When I started the TAFE course, we got the opportunity to work for Show Radio , helping the Show Radio guys, doing field reporting,” Keeley explains.

“That was my first time hearing about AFTRS.”

When Keeley’s TAFE group was taken on tour of the AFTRS facilities in Sydney, her mind was blown.

“It wasn’t until I came to the building and looked around, I thought ‘I definitely need to come here!’” Keeley chuckles.

She immediately began the application process and was accepted into the Graduate Diploma in Radio in Podcasting, a dynamic course for emerging broadcasters, podcasters, and radio producers.

“I’m so grateful that I’m here,” says Keeley. “I’ve learned so much already.”

“Everyone at AFTRS is so welcoming. You get to meet so many new people. Last week we got to meet Brooklyn Ross from K & J’s show.”

As for the daily commute from the Central Coast to Sydney’s CBD – Keeley says it’s very doable.

“It’s really easy,” says Keeley of the three hour round trip. “You get the train from Gosford to Central Station, and then just grab the light rail. You can do your study on the train. You can do assignments. If you have an online job, you can do that.”

Outside her AFTRS studies, Keeley is an enthusiastic member of the SCA Central Coast Street Team.

“I work with Hit 101.3 and Triple M 107.7,” she says. “I’ll drive around and hand out free stuff, sometimes I’ll have the merch, sometimes I’ll have tickets to things.”

“So I’m pretty much everyone’s favourite person!” she laughs.

Applications for the next Graduate Diploma in Radio and Podcast course intake close on October 29, 2024. Learn more here.