This was stated by Bruce Osborne, the Director of New Zealand’s Universal College of Learning (UCOL), during his recent India visit.

RMS Atwal caught up with Obsborne during a New Zealand education fair in Ludhiana last week, organised by the New Zealand India Education Representatives (NZIER), a body of nine New Zealand High Commission approved Consultants in India.

Excerpts from the interview:

Q: What are nursing opportunities for Indian students in your country, especially in your college (UCOL)?

A: First, I would explain the opportunities for school-leavers and then for those, who already have a degree or diploma in nursing. Then I will explain the pathway to registration and employment in New Zealand. Number one, a school-leaver, who has done Plus Two with a Science stream would need a grade of 6.5 (overall) in IELTS (International English Language Testing System). Student can then undertake a three-year course in Bachelor of Nursing. Number two, there is a one-year academic upgrade programme for Indian Registered Nurses and this pathway is explained below. We realise that that when nurses are dealing with people in the health care system, especially the patients, their ability to communicate in English at a highly competent level is of the highest importance.

Q: But some people (education consultants) here say it should be 7.0 bands overall for nurses. Would you clarify that?

A: This is true. But this is only for those, who are already employed as nurses here in India. This is the number two opportunity for a study programme called the Bachelor of Nurses for Registered Nurses (RNBN) this is a one-year academic programme with the entry level in English at 6.5 bands. Applicants for this programmed require a nursing registration certificate and a minimum of one year work experience plus the English of 6.5 IELTS. Then they are offered an Unconditional Offer of place into our programme.   During the RNBN course students upgrade themselves in English language studies to obtain an IELTS score of 7.0 in all four bands.

At the completion of the RNBN Degree programme and the accomplishment of obtaining 7.0 IELTS in English, students are then able to undertake the NZ’s competency assessment program of 6-8 weeks (a short course under hospital practice settings).  This programme is testing of the nurses skills. Upon completion of this stint they can make a successful application to become a registered nurse in NZ and enter the workforce. Nursing in NZ is in a skills shortage area. All graduate nurses will be given a one year work visa. It is almost certain that they will get employment on completion of the registration process I have just outlined.

Q: Please give me one good reason as to why an Indian nurse should opt for NZ when they are in much higher demand in the US on much better wages?

A: I believe, the US has some stringent entry requirements and whilst the NZ standards are also very high, at the moment it appears the pathway to PR in NZ is little bit more streamlined than it is for America, Canada, or even Britain. There is a world-wide shortage of qualified nurses and every nurse over here should make use of the opportunity. Indian nurses have good skills and with the addition of the Academic upgrade programmed they can help themselves in getting assimilated into the westernised health care system.

Q: Did the world recession in any way affect the nursing students’ intake in your country and your college?

A: It is a very good question. At this point of time there is no evidence at all of recessionary trends. There is no negative impact for the demand of skills in the case of qualified nurses. At the same time there is no shortage of young graduate nurses but there is a significant shortage of skilled nurses in NZ in specialised areas. Qualified degree-holding nurses are much in demand. So, to that extent NZ is quite a desired destination at the moment. There are presently 60 Indian nurses at our institute (UCOL) upgrading themselves to an internationally recognised degree, that is, UCOL Bachelor of Nursing.