Angel Thomas – Trainee Nurse
Congratulations on graduating from Sunnybank State High School with your QCE in 2020! What are you doing now?
Thank you! I’m studying a Bachelor of Nursing at the University of Southern Queensland (USQ) while also working part-time in retail and as an Assistant in Nursing (AIN) at an aged care facility.
What inspired you to pick nursing as a career path?
My mum is one of my biggest inspirations and she works as a nurse, so I’ve always admired her. She ended up having surgery when I was in Year 10. Visiting her in the hospital with the rest of my family, and seeing the nurses providing my mum vital support really opened my eyes to the impact that nurses have in someone’s life when they need it the most. From that moment, I knew I wanted to become a nurse and help other people.
How did you decide what subjects to study in Years 11 & 12?
My school helped us with Senior Education and Training (SET) planning in Year 10, and it was a good process because it helped me realise that I didn’t want to be stressed out in my final years of high school. I chose a mix of General, Applied subjects and VET courses that would give me practical knowledge and an ATAR.
Doing a school-based traineeship in Business is an interesting choice for someone aiming to become a nurse. Why did you choose that?
It was important to me to achieve a good study, work and life balance. I wanted to get experience in the ‘real world’ so a teacher suggested a school-based traineeship because it would give me QCE credits and work experience. So, I started a Certificate III in Business in Year 10 and finished the traineeship by the time I was in Year 12, working one day a week.
Completing the Certificate III in Business definitely gave me a head start for my career in nursing. I developed transferrable skills like working effectively in a team and communicating with a diverse range of people — skills that I use all the time in my nursing studies and at work.
What other advice do you have for senior students?
Don’t be disheartened if you don’t get the ATAR you were hoping for. To be honest, I was disappointed with my ATAR and had some backup TAFE courses in my QTAC preferences in case my plans fell through. But, in the end, I received an offer from USQ which was a huge relief!
The point is: don’t stress about it. At the end of the day, whatever ATAR you get is just a number and a stepping-stone to a uni or TAFE course. Even if you don’t get into your number one course, get into something else, then go another way to reach your goals. There’s heaps of time to work it out.
Can you tell us a fun fact about you?
Reading a great fantasy novel is my favourite way to relax.