Pathways and possibilities - employers connect with nursing students at Ara 

_{Students flock to the various employer booths at the Nursing Employment Fair}

Fifteen health sector employers gathered at Ara Institute of Canterbury's Manawa campus this week, offering nursing students a chance to explore career pathways and get advice on job applications and graduate programmes.

The twice-yearly Nursing Employer Fair offers students a chance to explore the diverse roles available in nursing from community care to specialist mental health services.

Students from all year levels were welcomed at the event, with many advisors from the organisations represented ready to share their own career journeys.

Among them was Louisa Moore, clinical nurse educator for district nursing at Nurse Maude, who started with the community provider as a graduate herself in 2006.

Her first year out of study saw her working in dementia care, hospice inpatient settings and district nursing.

“It’s great talking to students about where they want to go in their careers and pointing them toward community nursing,” she said.

“We offer a broad range of experiences - from speciality clinics to hospice - and we’re always looking to grow our workforce.”

Among the graduate programmes represented was the New Entry to Specialist Practice (NESP), which supports nurses transitioning into roles in mental health and addiction services.

Gail Houston, Nurse Coordinator for NESP, emphasised the value of specialist training offered by the programme. “Even if nurses move into other branches of our profession, they take that specialist knowledge with them,” she said.

She said it was good to have the opportunity to speak with up-and-coming graduates and help them see the profession in its broadest sense.

“The employment fair is a chance to talk with people about possibilities, what their aspirations might be and the pathways they might take to get there,” she said.

Students shared that the tough employment market made it more challenging to see the future, and it was useful to have the wide range of options laid out for them to consider.

_{Hannah Bennett, Stacey Murray and Neeve Brown picked up useful information at the fair}

Neeve Brown, who is about to begin her final nine-week clincial placement in her studies, said she had picked up some key tips.

“I got some guidance on what to put in my cover letter to make me stand out, which was helpful, and I learned what different providers offer in terms of post-graduate opportunities, which I didn’t know before,” she said.

Classmates Hannah Bennett and Stacey Murray said it was helpful to know what the employers expected of new graduates and what a typical day might look like in various settings.

Second-year student Josh Vita said it’d been good to discuss the wide range of career options nursing offers.

“Events like this really help to give us information about what is out there and what might interest us,” he said.

Ara's Clinical Manager for Nursing Rachel Burt said the employer event provided a fantastic opportunity for our students to explore career pathways and gain insights that will shape their professional journeys.

"We’re grateful to the employers who have once-again generously shared their time and expertise to support our future nurses. Their knowledge and experience bring to life in a tangible way how nursing is a career rich with diversity, purpose, and lifelong learning," she said.