UCOL | Te Pūkenga training extra nurses in efforts to support healthcare workforce

UCOL | Te Pūkenga are proud to be playing their part in increasing the registered nursing workforce by providing additional intakes of nursing ākonga (learners) through the Certificate in Competency Assessment for Registered Nurses Training Scheme (commonly referred to as CAP), across the UCOL rohe.

Executive Dean for Health, Social Services, and Applied Sciences, Penny O’Leary, explains that UCOL, in association with Te Whatu Ora, and other healthcare agencies, has been able to accommodate the increased intakes.

“Usually, we have a minimum of four intakes per year, each with a maximum of 30 ākonga. Currently, across the UCOL rohe, we have 105 ākonga starting clinical placements.

“In 2020, UCOL had 54 CAP graduates; this dropped to 37 in 2021 following Covid-19, but since then, we’ve been increasing, with 64 graduates in 2022 and so far for 2023, we’re up to 91 – with more to go!”

“In our current environment, this 12-week programme is a solution-focused approach to bolster the nursing workforce in Aotearoa. This means that our international qualified nurses who have experience in healthcare can become New Zealand Registered Nurses on successful completion of CAP.”

UCOL’s Academic Portfolio Manager of Nursing, Lucy Eade, says the programme is made up of theoretical learning based on the Aotearoa context as well as clinical placements across a variety of nursing environments.

“We’re grateful to our clinical agencies across primary health, aged-care, and mental health, as well as Te Whatu Ora for their support in providing additional placements and, while doing so, working their best to match our ākonga with their existing clinical backgrounds,” says Mrs Eade.

About UCOL | Te Pūkenga:

COL | Te Pūkenga inspires ākonga (learners), businesses, and communities to succeed. We are a business division of Te Pūkenga – a strong, unified vocational education system that makes collaboration easier. UCOL is an educational institution with a history dating back to 1892 and has campuses in Manawatū, Whanganui, Wairarapa and Horowhenua.

About Te Pūkenga:

Te Pūkenga, New Zealand Institute of Skills and Technology, was established in 2020 as one of seven key changes in the Reform of Vocational Education. Te Pūkenga is bringing together a national network of integrated learning that supports learners, employers and communities to gain the skills, knowledge, and capabilities Aotearoa needs now and for the future.