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Robyn receiving her business award from Australian Women ’ s Small Business . by Lorna Gordon
Sometimes life takes us on unexpected journeys , opening doors to opportunities we would never imagine . Robyn Hawke ’ s path from the classroom to award winning creative interior designer is one of these stories and shows how passion and resilience can lead to success , even in the face of life ’ s toughest challenges .
Robyn never envisioned herself as a high school teacher , but life had other plans . She had wanted to study design but was fortunate to be awarded two scholarships to study teaching so studied Design and Technology with the hopes of finding a job outside of the teaching sector .
She completed her studies and tried to break into the food industry , hoping to land a position in food technology . But after several knockbacks at the final interview stage , she decided to go into teaching with a view to find a different job a few years down the line once she had some experience under her belt .
She continued teaching , finding herself enjoying the work more than she expected , but her life took a dramatic turn when her first daughter was born with severe disabilities . Robyn found that the flexibility of school holidays was more than just a much needed break from the rigors of teaching , it was a lifeline to allow her daughter to receive adequate care during breaks from school .
“ Back then , there was no holiday care for children with disabilities , so I had to stay in teaching , it allowed me to care for Nicola and work to help cover the large medical bills we got from her specialists ,” Robyn explained .
Juggling the demands of a high school department and caring for her daughter wasn ’ t easy , but it was necessary , and the pressure intensified as she became more senior in her role in school . Robyn reached a point where her daughter was the same age at the students she was teaching and the limitations her daughter faced everyday were suddenly in her face and couldn ’ t be ignored .
“ When she reached the age of the students I was teaching , I saw every day what she couldn ’ t do , and it weighed heavily on me ,” Robyn said .
Eventually , the stress became too much . Her boss suggested she take a break , and she did , using the time to consider what she wanted to do . She decided it was time for a change - time to follow the passion she had sidelined for years and go back to school to study interior design .
In the early 2000s , Robyn returned to school to pursue a degree in interior design , combining her creative eye with her keen understanding of functionality . It was a bold move , but one that felt right .
“ It wasn ’ t such a left-field decision - I ’ d been teaching design for years , and I was ready to make the leap ,” she says .
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6 ISSUE 113 // NOVEMBER 2024 theindependentmagazine . com . au THE HILLS INDEPENDENT