Source: Eastern Institute of Technology – Tairāwhiti
3 mins ago
Shona Clarke, 24, is currently enrolled in the NZ Certificate of Study and Career Preparation (Hauora | Nursing/Health Pathway) (Level 4).
A former model, who moved to Hawke’s Bay from South Africa to be close to family, is loving studying at EIT.
Shona Clarke, 24, who appears in this year’s EIT brand campaign, is currently enrolled in the NZ Certificate of Study and Career Preparation (Hauora | Nursing/Health Pathway) (Level 4), and hopes to study for the Bachelor of Nursing next year.
Having arrived in Hawke’s Bay from Durban at the beginning of the year, Shona decided to follow her brother, Austin, to EIT’s Hawke’s Bay campus. Austin is currently pursuing the Bachelor of Business (Accounting). Having always had an interest in health and science, Shona enrolled in the NZ Health and Wellbeing (Level 3) programme, which she completed in June.
She says that she found the programme “amazing”, especially placements at Graceland Rest home in Hastings and at Kōwhai Specialist School.
“I absolutely loved it. I got to work at Graceland, which was phenomenal, but I found the love that I had for children when I did my five-week placement at Kōwhai.”
“And then I started meeting people in the industry, and that’s how I got involved in the holiday programme at the Havelock North High School Special Needs Unit. I think I’d go into that field for sure if I wasn’t so set on the fact that I wanted to be a nurse.”
It has been a long and varied journey for Shona who went to school in Durban, South Africa.
“I actually came out of school and went straight into working. And six years later, I’ve decided that I’m going to study something.”
“After school I did modelling full-time and I worked with Suncoast Casino for four years, part of their marketing team. I also modelled in Dubai for a year.”
Some of her modelling work included brand work for Bonds, a photo shoot for Dubai Tourism and a shoot imitating Margot Robbie before the release of the Barbie movie.
Studying at EIT is a far cry from an international modelling career, but Shona says it was a simple choice for her.
“It was my career until my family moved here. And then I thought: ‘I’m going to move over with my family because I’m family oriented. I just want to be with them’. And then when I moved over, I said, I’m going to change my career path.
She says that it was an easy decision to study at EIT
And now in the Study and Career Preparation (Hauora | Nursing/Health Pathway) (Level 4) programme, Shona is glad that she made the choice.
“ I’m absolutely loving it, because of all the science-based parts of it.”
“That is what I think I will enjoy most about nursing, is learning about the human body, learning about how everything works, how to treat everything. It’s very interesting. I’m thoroughly enjoying it, and getting really good marks.”
Shona says returning to study after having worked full-time for so long took some adjustment.
“I think I fitted in quite easily with the people, but the going from working full-time, having independence, and having my own life, to going back to full-time studying, working part-time, not being fully independent, that’s a big change for me.”
For now Shona is focused on finishing the programme and hopefully starting the Bachelor of Nursing, which she will apply for later this year.
She is hoping to have a long career in nursing and is interested in paediatrics, surgical or even oncology, because she has had family members who have had cancer.
As for EIT, Shona has no hesitation in recommending it as a place to study.
“I know I’m an international student, but the support that I have felt from EIT has been amazing. And I felt so included in everything that I’ve been a part of so far, from the photoshoot for the billboards to meeting new people.”
Les Blair, EIT Health and Wellbeing Team Leader and Verena Lyons, EIT Health and Wellbeing Team Member, say that “Shona has been an enthusiastic, bubbly student who formed positive relationships with everybody.”
“She made the most of every opportunity offered to her and we wish her well in her study journey.”
