“Guinea pig” nurse cohort find local roles

When Biddy Mason signed up for Nelson Marlborough Institute of Technology’s Bachelor of Nursing programme, she knew she was stepping into uncharted territory.

And now graduating next Tuesday as part of the first local Nursing cohort, student class representative Biddy says she and her classmates have been pleased by the local support.

“We knew we were like the guinea pigs,” Biddy says. “There were eight or nine of us, and we became a really tight-knit group because we felt privileged to be able to do it locally, so we wanted to make it work for the ones coming through.

“Blenheim campus student support, library staff and our tutors in Nelson were fantastic, whether during live streamed lectures or going packing everyone in the van and going for hands-on tutorials.”

The decision to offer the course in Blenheim was the push needed for Biddy.

“I’ve always wanted to work in healthcare, but travelling to Nelson daily wasn’t practical with a young child so it opened the door for mature students and those with families.”

Now, as graduation approaches, job offers have rolled in for the local learners.

“Everyone from Marlborough who wanted to stay has been offered a job locally”, Biddy says.

“That’s really positive even though It’ll be different not seeing my classmates every day as we’ve become really good friends”.

Help NMIT Graduates celebrate Tuesday 9 December as with have Graduation at the Marlborough Events Centre from 2pm before they march through central Blenheim around 3pm, weather allowing.