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Victorian Nurses Graduate, Face Job Scarcity
20 Apr
Summary
- 1500 newly qualified Victorian nurses struggle to find work.
- Government initiative paid course fees for 10,000 nursing students.
- Nurses face an Australia-wide shortage of over 70,000 by 2035.
Up to 1500 newly qualified nurses in Victoria are currently facing significant challenges in securing employment, nearly five months after completing their degrees. This situation arises despite projections indicating Australia will experience a nursing shortage exceeding 70,000 professionals by 2035.
A recent state government initiative, designed to bolster staffing in strained hospitals, covered the course fees for more than 10,000 nursing and midwifery students. This program aimed to encourage more individuals into the profession.
However, upon graduation, many of these nurses are finding limited entry-level job opportunities. Consequently, some are now exploring employment prospects in other Australian states or working in casual roles outside their field, such as in hospitality, due to the scarcity of available nursing positions.
