Good News
Stories – Jinwen
When 75-year-old Jinwen joined MTC FutureReady’s Hurstville site in June 2025, his enthusiasm for learning English was immediately clear. His love for languages goes all the way back to his school days in China. He first discovered his passion in middle school, studying Russian and consistently achieving top scores. “That’s how I became addicted to learning languages,” he recalls with a smile.
In 1968, while working at a factory, Jinwen met a friend who shared his enthusiasm for English. The two studied together, and his friend became his first English tutor.
Determined to improve, Jinwen bought rare English grammar books like Brief English Handbook and the English edition of China Construction, a rare find in 1970s China.
Even when he entered college in 1973 to study Civil Engineering, Jinwen didn’t stop learning English. After graduating, he worked at a design institute and eventually became a senior civil engineer in 1980. Though work and life got busier, his passion for English never faded.
After moving to Australia in 2018, Jinwen reignited his love for the language. He joined the Adult Migrant English Program (AMEP) in 2019 and completed the course with dedication. During the COVID-19 pandemic, he studyied daily, taking detailed notes, and watching English tutorials for over four hours a day.
Then he heard about MTC’s Skills for Education and Employment program from a classmate and jumped at the opportunity. Since then, he’s been studying more than 25 hours a week, embracing every worksheet and assignment with genuine passion.
“I really like MTC,” Jinwen says. “I feel the materials my teacher gives us truly help improve both language and employment skills. I will keep going on this journey. It’s never too late to learn.”
