Start TAFE Now leads Charley on path to nursing

By Greg Chapman

Charley Petersen is living proof of the adage ‘like mother, like daughter’.

The 20-year-old is literally following in her mother’s footsteps to become a nurse, a dream that began thanks to CQUniversity’s Start TAFE Now program and Health Services training.

Charley was still a high school student at Bowen State High School in 2023 when she heard about CQU’s Start TAFE Now program, which provides eligible high school students in Year 10, 11 and 12 access to nationally recognised TAFE qualifications.

Inspired by her mother’s commitment to nursing, Charley began her healthcare journey in Year 11 with the Certificate II in Health Support Services. After successfully completing the qualification and gaining credit transfer, she progressed into the Certificate III in Health Services Assistance in Year 12, further developing the skills and experience needed to support healthcare teams and provide quality patient care.

“From a young age, I've always had a passion for caring for others. My mum is a nurse and has been my biggest inspiration. Knowing how much I enjoyed helping others, she encouraged me to complete a Certificate II in Health Support Services while I was still at school,” she said.

Charley said although the prospect of adding more study to a busy school workload was initially daunting, her school and CQU gave her the support she needed to succeed. 

“I found both CQU and my school extremely supportive in balancing my studies with schoolwork,” she said.

“CQU was very understanding of our school commitments and made the workload manageable. We also had a weekly video meeting where we could ask questions and get extra support if needed, which was really helpful.”

The studies provided new pathways for Charley who was able to put what she’d learned into practice in several work placements.

“During my Certificate II, I completed a placement at a local medical centre, where I shadowed the nurse and attended different appointments. For my Certificate III, I completed placement at a local residential aged care facility, where I gained hands-on experience caring for residents,” she said.

“While completing my Certificate III, I applied for a job at the same residential aged care facility. I went on to work there for two and a half years, which strengthened my love and passion for nursing and encouraged me to further my career.”

But Charley didn’t stop there. Her determination to become a nurse ultimately led her to enrol in the Diploma of Nursing with TAFE Queensland.

“The Health Services courses helped me realise that nursing was something I genuinely wanted to pursue. I then went on to study my Diploma of Nursing,” she said.

“I completed my Diploma of Nursing in September. In July, while I was still studying, I started working at Bowen Hospital as an Assistant in Nursing. I'm currently finalising the recruitment process so I can begin working as an Enrolled Nurse at the same hospital.

“My next step is to begin working as an Enrolled Nurse and continue building my skills and confidence in a hospital setting. I'm really looking forward to gaining more experience and seeing where nursing takes me!”

She encouraged other school students considering a career in the health industry to look into the Start TAFE Now program and the Health Support Services courses.

“I would definitely recommend the Health Services courses to anyone interested in a healthcare career. It allowed me to start studying while I was still in school without adding too much extra workload, as I had three allocated class periods each week to work on my certificates. The courses also allowed me to experience what working in healthcare was actually like,” she said.

“The courses helped me confirm that nursing was something I was passionate about. Completing my Certificate III gave me credits towards my Diploma of Nursing, which reduced the number of subjects I needed to complete. 

“I'm really grateful I had the opportunity to complete these courses while I was still at school. They've played a big part in getting me to where I am today, and I would definitely encourage anyone considering a healthcare career to give them a go!”

Start your journey in Health Services Support like Charley.

The Health Support Services course will be included in the Start TAFE Now program in 2027.