Dreams do come true! See how this nana became a flight attendant at 59
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Sometimes, it may seem like your dreams have passed you by, but we know that age is just a number.
Today, we're delighted to share the inspiring story of one determined and adventurous Aussie grandmother, who, at 59 years old, has finally become a flight attendant for Qantas after dreaming of becoming one for about four decades.
Jackie Cookson, a proud grandmother, is one of Qantas's newest cabin crew recruits (and one of the most vibrant, we must say).
Her first flight was to Los Angeles this past Saturday, and with over 40 years of harbouring a passion for working in the skies, Jackie finally got her wings.
Now calling herself the ‘Crazy Nana’ on social media, Ms Cookson has shared her incredible journey, from her first interview with Qantas to her subsequent training and assessments, right up to her graduation.
Her story serves as a reminder to all seniors that it's never too late to follow your dreams, achieve your goals, and embark on a brand-new career path.
In her first video that she posted on her social media account in January, Jackie shared her excitement and disbelief as she prepared for her interview with Qantas.
Despite possible doubts about pursuing her life-long dream at her age, she persevered and showed the world that age is just a number.
Ahead of her first in-person interview with the airline, Ms Cookson said people might think she was ‘crazy’ to do it at her age. However, she also stated that she was finally following her dreams.
Ms Cookson, a grandmother of two, said she interviewed for another airline when she was 20 years old but never pursued it because she ended up getting married.
‘In my eyes, then, if you were married, you couldn’t be a cabin crew,’ she stated.
Her tenacity has allowed her to add ‘flight attendant’ to her list of impressive career titles, which includes travel agent, oncology ward receptionist, and newspaper sales rep.
Originally from England and residing in Australia for around 30 years, Ms Cookson thought she had missed her chance to follow her dreams.
‘After COVID, I took a year off and travelled the world, went back to see my 91-year-old dad in Yorkshire, and applied while I was on holiday,’ she told reporters.
You can watch one of her videos below:
Relocating from Perth to Sydney for her training, she graciously acknowledged the challenges in adapting to her new role, especially given that she hadn't studied for a long time.
But she didn't let it hold her back, and she enthusiastically kept her followers updated online.
On her graduation day, Jackie proudly shared, ‘Can you believe it? Crazy Nana’s gone and done it, hasn’t she? I’ve passed, and today I’ve graduated. I did it!’
Jackie's heartwarming story serves as a fantastic reminder that age need not be a barrier to pursuing our ambitions. We celebrate individuals like her who have inspired others to follow their dreams.
Qantas has said it welcomed recruits looking for career changes from various professional backgrounds, such as accountants, nurses, professors, farmers, and police officers, along with fresh-faced high school graduates.
We wish Jackie and all our adventurous members out there the very best in your endeavours!
How about you? Is there something you’ve been dreaming of doing? Let us know in the comments below!
Today, we're delighted to share the inspiring story of one determined and adventurous Aussie grandmother, who, at 59 years old, has finally become a flight attendant for Qantas after dreaming of becoming one for about four decades.
Jackie Cookson, a proud grandmother, is one of Qantas's newest cabin crew recruits (and one of the most vibrant, we must say).
Her first flight was to Los Angeles this past Saturday, and with over 40 years of harbouring a passion for working in the skies, Jackie finally got her wings.
The 59-year-old has finally fulfilled her dream of becoming a flight attendant. Credit: Marina Hinic/Pexels
Now calling herself the ‘Crazy Nana’ on social media, Ms Cookson has shared her incredible journey, from her first interview with Qantas to her subsequent training and assessments, right up to her graduation.
Her story serves as a reminder to all seniors that it's never too late to follow your dreams, achieve your goals, and embark on a brand-new career path.
In her first video that she posted on her social media account in January, Jackie shared her excitement and disbelief as she prepared for her interview with Qantas.
Despite possible doubts about pursuing her life-long dream at her age, she persevered and showed the world that age is just a number.
Ms Cookson’s story is meant to inspire others to pursue their dreams no matter their age. Credit: crazynana112/TikTok
Ahead of her first in-person interview with the airline, Ms Cookson said people might think she was ‘crazy’ to do it at her age. However, she also stated that she was finally following her dreams.
Ms Cookson, a grandmother of two, said she interviewed for another airline when she was 20 years old but never pursued it because she ended up getting married.
‘In my eyes, then, if you were married, you couldn’t be a cabin crew,’ she stated.
Her tenacity has allowed her to add ‘flight attendant’ to her list of impressive career titles, which includes travel agent, oncology ward receptionist, and newspaper sales rep.
Originally from England and residing in Australia for around 30 years, Ms Cookson thought she had missed her chance to follow her dreams.
‘After COVID, I took a year off and travelled the world, went back to see my 91-year-old dad in Yorkshire, and applied while I was on holiday,’ she told reporters.
You can watch one of her videos below:
Relocating from Perth to Sydney for her training, she graciously acknowledged the challenges in adapting to her new role, especially given that she hadn't studied for a long time.
But she didn't let it hold her back, and she enthusiastically kept her followers updated online.
On her graduation day, Jackie proudly shared, ‘Can you believe it? Crazy Nana’s gone and done it, hasn’t she? I’ve passed, and today I’ve graduated. I did it!’
Jackie's heartwarming story serves as a fantastic reminder that age need not be a barrier to pursuing our ambitions. We celebrate individuals like her who have inspired others to follow their dreams.
Qantas has said it welcomed recruits looking for career changes from various professional backgrounds, such as accountants, nurses, professors, farmers, and police officers, along with fresh-faced high school graduates.
We wish Jackie and all our adventurous members out there the very best in your endeavours!
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