In Principio v17 no3 (2006)

Anne Rosser Bachelor of Nursing 2005 On graduating from Notre Dame with a Bachelor of Nursing in December 2005, I gained employment in a graduate program at The Alfred Hospital in Melbourne in the Emergency and Trauma Centre. All of my life I wanted to work in a profession where I could help those who were less fortunate than myself. By being a nurse, I am able to make a 'difference' to people I meet and care for, whether it is small or large. The Alfred is the major trauma centre of Victoria, receiving a large number of patients who have been involved in major trauma such as motor and industrial accidents and patients with major burns. My role as a graduate nurse is to provide care for a vast range of patients, from those with simple injuries such as cuts and grazes, to those with multiple medical and psychiatric problems. There have been so many skills that I have been able to apply to my job that I gained whilst at Notre Dame. This not only includes the clinical skills that I learnt, but also the importance of providing a holistic approach to my patients and their relatives. Working at the Alfred has provided me with so many learning opportunities, and within 10 months I feel like a true 'emergency nurse', where I am quickly becoming a jack of all trades! Michael Garkaklis Bachelor of Science Environmental Management 2005 Prior to my graduation in 2005 there was extensive discussion between students about the perceived limited opportunities available for science graduates. I was somewhat apprehensive but knew that with the quality of education, support and direction I had received at Notre Dame I could confidently approach any employer. Within weeks of completing my degree I was successful in obtaining a three month contract with Newcrest Mining Limited at the Telfer Project as an Environmental Scientist. In the weeks leading up to the completion of my contract with Newcrest Mining Ltd I was approached by a contracting company called Pilbara Logistics. The company offered me a position as the Health Safety and Environment supervisor which I accepted. As a Health Safety and Environmental Safety Manager, it is my duty to oversee operations of Pilbara Logistics at Telfer Gold Mine. I liaise closely with two supervisors. one who controls infrastructure works and the other health, safety, environment and training aspects for Pilbara Logistics. My position also encompasses reporting to Newcrest to ensure all work undertaken at the mine site is in line with policies, standards and management plans. I am currently completing a Graduate Diploma in HSE, and in recent months I have been fortunate to be appointed as the site manager for the company. In hindsight my current position is where I had set my goals to be in five years, but by having the solid foundation gained by my years at Notre Dame and trust and support from my manager I have the utmost confidence I have chosen the right career path . As the Health Safety and Environmental Manager I am able to continually upgrade my skills and look forward to a long and prosperous career in the Mining industry. Marsha Jacobs Bachelor of Laws (Honours)/ Bachelor of Arts 2003 I moved to Perth from Melbourne and started university not knowing anyone in Western Australia (WA). This rapidly changed, and five years went by very quickly. My time at Notre Dame was really memorable, and Fremantle is really just a fantastic place to go to uni. I graduated from Notre Dame in 2003 with a double degree, achieving honours in Law and majoring in Philosophy and History in Arts. After graduating I made the decision not to enter legal practice and after several mont hs of wondering if I had made the right decision, not applying for articles, I got a position as a business journalist, with WA Business News. It proved to be everything that I wanted in a job and I achieved industry success by winning the Best Newcomer Award at the WA Media Awards in 2005. After two years with Business News, I was offered a position in the Perth Bureau with the Australian Financial Review. It was the right time for me to make the move. Working for a national daily paper out of WA, where there is so much happening is just really exciting. I get to meet incredibly interesting people every day and get to know some of the real decision makers in business. In very few other jobs can you get away with asking irritating questions all the time, and still have people return your calls! I think a law degree is an ideal background for business writing, and I use the skills I was taught at university all the time. I know that both my employers have seen it as a real point of difference.