Career change for Luke Boston
For successful oil and gas company director Luke Boston, the financial rewards of his profession were not enough to deter him from pursuing his dream career.
30 Oct 2016
30 September 2016
The 35-year-old from Warnbro has forsaken the resources industry for what he says will be an even more rewarding career in nursing.
Luke decided to take the plunge and study nursing at Challenger Institute of Technology’s Murdoch campus after more than 20 years in the oil and gas sector.
He has completed a unique hospital-based nursing program run by Challenger Institute in partnership with St John of God Murdoch Hospital (SJGMH), which students can undertake in one year.
“My working life began at a mining firm with no set plan other than just hoping to make some extra cash while I decided what I wanted to do as a career,” Luke said.
“I have always been very grateful for the opportunities presented to me throughout my career, however, I was becoming increasingly dissatisfied with my job and decided it was time for a change.”
Challenger Institute director health and community services Andrea Quintal said the Diploma of Nursing course was the only one of its kind in Western Australia.
“It is conducted entirely within a hospital setting and students are able to complete the course in 12 months rather than the standard 18 months,” Andrea said.
“The diploma course is perfect for students like Luke who are mature-aged or returning to study and need to be able to adequately balance work-life commitments.
“The practical nature of the course is also another bonus as students are able to determine very quickly whether nursing is the right career path for them.”
SJGMH workforce director Leanne Merchant said delivery of the program in a hospital environment allowed course participants to experience “hospital life” and better equip them to deal with the realities of the workplace.
Luke said he had not looked back since training with Challenger Institute and would further his nursing studies this year at university.
“I highly recommend enrolled nursing as an entry into the nursing profession,” he said. “It has been a great stepping stone for me coming from a completely unrelated field to make the transition into a new career.
“As for day-to-day on the job, I love meeting new people and hearing their stories. It’s also nice to go home at the end of a hard day knowing that you helped make the day a little brighter for someone who is going through a rough patch.”
Applications are now open for mid-year intake into the Diploma of Nursing.
Visit the Challenger Institute's website for more information or to enrol.