Health professionals who dream of moving to another country go through various processes to have their qualifications recognized. Years of study, experience and specialization need to be combined with a large investment and fluent English.
Among the alternatives is the completion of certificates or diplomas relevant to the industry. The Southern Cross Education Institute (SCEI), one of the benchmark schools for the sector in Melbourneoffers courses in the areas of Community Services; Health services; Business and Accounting; IT and Screen and Media.
SCEI also offers Ageing Support, Individual Support and Disability courses. The three options are interlinked; what changes is the audience they target. The school also has partnerships with a wide range of centers, enabling students to find work in the places where they do their practical activities. According to the school, 90% of the students are working in the field.
Those who work in Community Services work with children, adults and the elderly, but their approach is unique. One of the jobs can be a psychologist's assistant in nurseries and centers for the disabled, for example. There are 400 hours of internship divided into 2 parts - in the middle and at the end of the course. Social worker and community service jobs are also options in this sector.
Health
Other health-related specializations are massage courses, most of which are taught in-house. The diploma combines practical and theoretical lessons. When students complete the course, they become eligible to work as professional masseurs. In addition, students can apply for the registration card, which allows clients to be reimbursed from their insurance.
The Pathology option is laboratory-based and focuses on diseases, blood and the investigation of health problems. The course is a certificate 3 of only 32 weeks and gives professionals the possibility of working as sample collectors.
The Diploma of Nursing has all the necessary infrastructure within the school and requires at least 400 hours of internship in order to be certified as a professional. Students visit different centers (childcare, community centers, aged care) to find out which profile appeals to them the most and which they connect with. According to student Rachel Araújo, "there are several laboratories where students can work with resuscitation and blood collection dummies, which helps us prepare and gives us confidence when it comes to performing procedures on real patients".
According to the student, "the teachers know how to deal with international students and are aware that studying nursing is difficult," she says. "They create a space where we feel comfortable, we can ask questions without fear," she adds.
The mix of classes is a great attraction for international students, as around 80% of the classes are made up of domestic students.
For Rachel, the pressure on the area is positive. "I think the control is fantastic, as it helps to maintain the quality of the health system," she says. "I believe that, here in Australia, a nursing assistant's knowledge and autonomy is greater than in Brazil," she adds.
For more information on health courses in Australia and exchange programs, contact us.
