Jodie grateful for STEPS in pursuit of nursing dream
By Greg Chapman
Ever since she was a teenager, Jodie Lowther had always wanted to be a nurse helping others and thanks to CQUniversity, she was able to take the ‘steps’ to make that dream a reality.
When she was 22, and a young mother to a two-year-old-daughter, Jodie had looked back on her high schooling, wanting to better her education.
“Having not completed Year 12, I reached a point in my life where I decided I wanted to further my education and pursue a career in nursing. I began researching alternative pathways into university and discovered CQU’s Skills for Tertiary Education Preparatory Studies (STEPS) program,” she said.
“My initial aspiration was to become a midwife. After the wonderful experience I had during the birth of my first child, I felt inspired to pursue a career where I could provide the same level of care and support to others.
“STEPS provided a valuable introduction to university-level study and helped me understand the expectations, structure and commitment involved in tertiary education.
“It gave me the confidence to take that next step, knowing I already had some experience navigating university studies and managing my workload independently.”
How Steps changed Jodie’s confidence
“I found studying STEPS online much more enjoyable and manageable than my previous experience attending school. I think being older, having a clear goal and genuinely wanting to learn made a significant difference to my motivation and outlook,” she said.
“At the time, I was a young mother working full-time, so balancing study with family life and work certainly required commitment and organisation. I made a conscious effort to set aside dedicated study time and worked through the requirements around my other responsibilities.
“STEPS helped me realise that not completing Year 12 didn't have to limit my future opportunities. There were still pathways available to achieve what I wanted.”
She said STEPS ultimately provided her with an understanding of what university study involved: developing study habits, time-management skills and the confidence to work independently.
Rather than feeling overwhelmed by the transition, she felt prepared and ready to focus on achieving my goal of becoming a nurse.
After completing STEPS Jodie quickly enrolled in CQU’s Bachelor of Nursing, using the dedication, diligence and knowledge she’d acquired in STEPS to graduate and find employment.
“As I progressed through my Bachelor of Nursing, my family grew, and I welcomed another two children. Balancing motherhood, employment and university studies required dedication, effective time management and perseverance, but it was an incredibly rewarding journey,” she said.
Jodie is currently employed as an Occupational Health Nurse with Coal Services in New South Wales, where she has discovered a genuine passion for respiratory health and clinical education.
“Although my career has taken a different path from what I originally envisioned, I have found an area of nursing that I am passionate about. I particularly enjoy the opportunity to educate others, promote preventative healthcare and contribute to improving the long-term health and wellbeing of workers” she said.
“What I love about nursing is the diversity of opportunities it offers. There are so many different areas to explore, and it is a career that allows you to continually learn, develop professionally and make a meaningful difference in people's lives.
“Looking back, STEPS was quite literally the stepping stone that allowed me to build the career I have today.
“At the time, it was simply a pathway into university, but reflecting on it now, it represented so much more. It was an opportunity to change the direction of my future and prove to myself that not completing Year 12 didn't define what I was capable of.
“I'm proud of how far I've come, particularly knowing I balanced being a young mother, working full-time and pursuing further education.
“Without STEPS, my journey into nursing may have looked very different. It opened a door that I once thought might have been closed.”
Jodie’s advice to others looking for a change
“Don't let your previous education, your age or your current circumstances make you believe that university is out of reach,” she said.
“I found STEPS to be a supportive, informative and achievable pathway into further education. It gave me the confidence and foundation I needed to take the next step towards my career.
“You don't necessarily need to have followed the traditional educational pathway to be successful. Sometimes all you need is an opportunity, the determination to give it a go and the willingness to back yourself.”
2026 marks 40 years of CQUniversity’s STEPS pathway, which has helped thousands of students build the skills, confidence and foundations needed to pursue higher education. For four decades, STEPS has opened doors and helped make university study possible for people from many different backgrounds.
Learn more about CQU's STEPS program.
