Written by Clare Sandy, current Bachelor of Midwifery student
Before you know it you’ll be in your final year of your course, getting ready for your interview to secure a New Graduate job. So what can you do to stand out from the crowd and secure that New Graduate role?
Take a job as an Assistant in Midwifery (AIM) or Nursing (AIN)
There are a number of perks from working as an AIM or AIN:
- Money – who doesn’t need more of that as a student?!
- Experience – you’ll get to practice your clinical skills and build your confidence as you work on your own.
- Networking – you’ll liaise with Midwives, Nurses, Doctors and a range of health professionals while working , building rapport which makes it easier to work collaboratively as a student Nurse or Midwife and New Graduate.
- Tax benefits – ask the Australian Tax Office about what you can claim on your tax while working in the field that you are studying.
If you’re a Midwifery student and your home hospital doesn’t employ AIM’s, apply through NSW Health to other hospitals so you can gain experience at another hospital.
Seek help from the UTS Careers team
UTS ‘Health Horizons’ runs workshops for 3rd year students to help them prepare for the job application process. Make the time to attend so you can learn the do’s and don’ts of resume writing and job interviews. The workshops also cover how to address selection criteria which is an important part of your job application, so seek out the UTS Careers team for help.
Further educate yourself
In your downtime between semesters at uni, why not look up some online courses or workshops and further upskill yourself?
- The Australian College of Midwives (ACM) regularly run free webinars and other events at discounted prices for members.
- ACM NSW annual state conference and/or ACM National annual conference – listen to presentations from experienced Midwives and network with peers. NSW Health offers scholarships to attend the NSW state conference to help fund your attendance.
- Capers Bookstore runs a variety of Midwifery-related events – sign up to their newsletter to learn more.
- Online course ‘Caring for Bereaved Parents’ by SANDS Australia.
- Attend ‘In-services’ run by your hospital’s educators.
Nursing students will find similar courses from professional bodies like the Australian College of Nursing whose signature event is the National Nursing Forum, an annual conference bringing together nurses, students and other health professionals both nationally and internationally.
Build your ePortfolio
In addition to certificates of completion/attendance from additional courses/events, collect your certificates from courses completed as part of your university study (eg Bloodsafe eLearning Australia modules, Intelli Learn maths modules, etc.). Save all of them into a folder as you progress through your degree and then you have them all in a handy place to access and upload into your ePortfolio before you apply for a job in 3rd year.
Not only will these additional courses/events look good on your resume, but you’ll further improve your knowledge and meet a range of peers who can help support you and keep you motivated throughout the course.
Inside | Out 