Achieving his wildest dreams

"I decided to study nursing because I have a passion for people and caring. I love interacting with people — just giving that level of care and caring for other's needs," Sean said.

"In today's modern world, with the way things are, I just decided that it was time for me to make that change and to do something that I really wanted to do."

With three nurses in the family, it seemed logical for Sean to follow in their footsteps. But it was only when Sean discovered that TAFE Queensland's Diploma of Nursing (HLT54115) was offered online that his dream became a reality.

"Before I decided to study nursing I was working in the offshore oil and gas industry in Western Australia. With online study it's made it a possibility for me to study offshore," he said.

While studying online meant his career goals were within reach, after such a long time out of the classroom Sean was initially hesitant about studying online. But he quickly found it wasn't as hard as he thought it would be.

"Studying with TAFE Queensland's been really good," Sean said.

"At first it was overwhelming, when I first logged on there was a lot of information. But as you work through each subject it's clearly outlined and it's all there for you."

"It's really directed at what I need to learn and student-focused which is what I like. It's actually a lot easier than it looked," Sean said.

Sean was also quick to reach out to his teachers with any questions he had, and was impressed with the response he received.

"I find the support at TAFE Queensland has been really good. The teachers have been really responsive, they're just an email away. They're very supportive and help whenever they can," he said.

Now Sean's at the point in his studies that he's gearing up to start putting theory into practice in his residential block training.

"I'm looking forward to residential school and merging the practical and theoretical worlds together. I'll be able to put everything I've learned online into real-world practice," said Sean.

After building his skills and confidence throughout his diploma, Sean is now planning on continuing his nursing studies at university and has big plans for the future.

"This will be a stepping stone into the industry and a pathway for me into university to get my degree in nursing," Sean said.

"University was never in my wildest dreams but now it's quite attainable. It's not as hard as I thought it was going to be. Eventually, in 5 to 10 years I hope to be a registered nurse," he said.

For Sean, TAFE Queensland is helping him define his greatness by helping him achieve his dream and take the next step in his career.

"Greatness to me means being the best person you can be. It's being good at what you do and feeling happy about what you do as well."

For anyone thinking of following in his footsteps, Sean says it's well worth taking the leap.

"My advice is to give it a go — you just never know. It's a bit daunting at first, but it's actually not that bad, it's easier than I expected," he concluded.