Recently Western Health asked for expressions of interest from 5 universities to be part of our new Grad+ program which is scheduled to be introduced in 2022.
This new program for graduates will have:
- 4 x 6-month rotations across 2 years, with support across both years
- Integrated free formal learning taught by Western Health, including a clinical subject and a leadership subject
- Online learning and simulated learning
The formal learning undertaken is recognised by partner universities towards post-graduate courses – making future post-graduate courses cheaper. By having 4 rotations, there will be opportunities to experience specialty areas, and hospital operations.
It was really pleasing that all 5 universities eagerly responded to the expression of interest, and so the following universities will partner with Western Health for the program:
- ACU
- Deakin
- Latrobe University
- University of Melbourne
- Victoria University
The anticipated benefits of the Grad+ Program are:
- Offer an entry to practice program that provides wider experience to different clinical specialties, to create well-rounded nurses and midwives with diverse experience in their early career years.
- Support our nurses and midwives to be able to have broader experiences and options available to them prior to choosing their preferred specialty
- Embed a culture of life-long learning through supporting the continuation of formal education into the early career years
- Make post-graduate education more accessible and affordable for our nurses and midwives
- Increase participation rates in post-graduate education, by offering 2 subjects as part of their early career years.
- Enhance Western Health’s status of an employer of choice for newly graduated nurses and midwives.
Planning is underway to develop up all elements in readiness for 2022, and we will work in partnership with all 5 universities.