The pathway to her dream job

She may be only 17, but Samara White knows exactly what she wants to do. But that wasn’t always the case.

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Samara was determined to find a way to get into the nursing career she wanted, and began looking for alternatives while she was still at school.  

“I left school so I could study a Certificate III in Individual Support and worked for 12 months in an aged care facility."

“I then found out I could study the Diploma of Nursing at UOW College to become an Enrolled Nurse and pathway into a bachelor of Nursing degree.” 

“It’s been the best decision I made for my future.”

 

A nurturing space to learn 

“There is so much support and it’s a fun learning environment. 

“The teachers are all very supportive,” she says. 

“They make sure you understand everything and will even wait after class to help you if you need it.” 

Growing up in Wollongong, Samara was familiar with the University of Wollongong (UOW), but she didn’t know the College offered students like herself the opportunity to fulfil their tertiary education goals with an alternative pathway. 

Samara may be one of the youngest students in her cohort but says the mix of mature-age and international students in her classes makes the learning more interesting and collaborative. 

“I get to learn a lot from them as well as the teachers,” she says. 

“The mix of people helps me to learn more. When we do group work especially, everyone is there to support each other.” 

 

Looking ahead

Already, Samara is planning for her future. When she completes her Diploma in Nursing from UOW College, she is planning to transition into the second year of the UOW Bachelor of Nursing. 

With her enrolled nurse registration completed, she says she will be able to continue working while she studies. 

“I really want to go into paediatric nursing,” she says.  

Interested in studying the Diploma of Nursing? Find out more. 

Samara White
HLT54121 Diploma of Nursing