First ‘steps’ and beyond
By Greg Chapman
The first ‘steps’ two Cairns-based CQUniversity graduates took to find a path into university study has helped them secure vital roles in Far North Queensland’s health industry.
Lisa Duncan and Nick Rolston have praised CQU’s Skills for Tertiary Entry Preparatory Studies (STEPS) program and how it gave them the foundation to pursue their dreams.
Nick, who now works as a Registered Nurse in two hospitals, said STEPS gave him the confidence to take on full time study, namely CQU’s Bachelor of Nursing.
“I initially started STEPS with the idea that it would give me a good idea of what full time study was like to see if I could cope with a degree before committing to it,” he said.
“Once I got into it, I realised it wasn't as daunting as I thought it was. STEPS broke down all the processes for study and how to approach assignments and when I got to starting my Bachelor of Nursing I hit the ground running.
“I felt that I was a step ahead of all the other students just starting out including those who had just finished high school.
Lisa has worked as an Allied Health Assistant for three years, specifically in the speech pathology and audiology fields, after completing a Bachelor of Allied Health at CQU.
“As a mature-age student, it had been quite some time since I'd studied or even known how to. The STEPS program and teaching staff helped me build confidence to pursue a new career and taught me how to be a university student,” she said.
“From learning to navigate the online learning platforms and researching evidence-based information, right through to learning how to format an essay and develop effective study and time management skills. Without learning these preparatory skills, I don't think I would have been able to keep up with the learning content.
“Connecting what I learn at work to my studies and using real-life experiences makes my learning feel more meaningful.”
STEP is a free, Centrelink-approved course designed to help if you’re returning to study after some time away or need to meet entry requirements for your desired degree.
