The champagne was flowing on Wednesday evening, March 1, as 50 graduates of Seymour’s Goulburn Ovens Institute of TAFE gathered at Trawool Estate to celebrate their graduation.
GOTAFE faculty, staff and executives were joined by entertainment royalty Tim Campbell who MC-ed proceedings, Paralympian and radio host Dylan Alcott and ex-nurse turned comedian Georgie Carroll.
The spirits in the room were high as students reflected on their time studying.
With the majority of the students in the room graduating with qualifications in the healthcare sector, they enjoyed Ms Carroll’s pearls of wisdom, finding in humour in what could at times be a tough gig.
Jessica Smith and Melissa Bayliss both completed their Diploma of Nursing. They studied part time for two-and-a-half years while working at Karingal, Seymour.
Ms Bayliss has been working in aged care for 17 years.
“This is the next natural progression for me, I really enjoy aged care and building my confidence and consolidating my learning,” Ms Bayliss said.
During the evening, students shared stories of trial and triumph in juggling their personal and family lives with their studies.
Ms Bayliss said that host of challenges, from a pandemic to floods, faced during their studies had provided opportunities for learning.
“GOTAFE were really good at trying to adapt and basically come up with things on the fly, which is a skill you need in nursing too, you need to learn to be adaptable and resilient,” Ms Bayliss said.
It was an exciting day likewise for the 200 partners and loved ones who came along to celebrate the graduates’ achievements.
“Being part-time was much better for that work-life balance, [Ms Smith] working and being a mum and wife and me being a mum and working,” Ms Bayliss said.
Many of the graduates, including Ms Smith, already had made plans to continue their education.
“Now that I’ve finished, I’m at university doing a double degree for nursing and midwifery,” Ms Smith said.
Both Ms Smith and Ms Bayliss said that they were appreciative of the support they received from Karingal Seymour in their placements.