The employment market for jobs in Nursing is highly competitive. When it comes to places in graduate nurse employment programs, the competition is especially fierce.

If you want to land a good nursing job when you graduate you’re going to need a range of effective job search strategies to attract the attention of employers.

This will include strategies such as being able to:

• accurately read and interpret job application instructions
• prepare a great resume and cover letter
• respond appropriately to job selection criteria
• look in the right places for advertised work
• develop a network of contacts to assist you to find employment
• prepare for and participate in a job interview when required.

In this course you will find relevant information and examples, specially prepared by UniSA Career Services, that will help you to do all these things.

UniSA Career Services University of South Australia Last viewed 8 September 2017

What are Transition to Professional Practice Programs (TPPP)?

Essentially these are specially structured training and development programs, ranging from 6-12 months duration, which are offered by some hospitals/health care providers.

The aim of these programs is to effectively transition nursing graduates from being a student into professional practice as a Registered Nurse.

Most Nursing graduates will aspire to obtaining a position in an organisation which offers a graduate year – commonly called either a Transition to Professional Practice Program (TPPP), or a Graduate Nurse Program (GNP).

The link below to the Nursing SA website more broadly explains what these programs are, with links to more information about them.

TPPP Nursing SA Last viewed 8 September 2017

TPPP and GNP programs are like graduate programs from any study discipline - they involve ‘cream of crop’ recruiting. That is, the employers are looking to hire the very best talent.

Should you be successful in getting into one of these programs, you’ll find that there are a number of professional and personal benefits. These include:

• Planned clinical rotations in either speciality or general nursing areas during the first 12 months of employment to expose you to different aspects of nursing. This expands your clinical experience and helps you decide on your field of specialisation.
• Formal professional development study days.
• Exceptional levels of peer support and mentoring.
• Often, a fast track in your career progression.

Unfortunately, due to competition, and limits on the numbers of available positions, many Nursing program graduates will be unsuccessful in obtaining a graduate year position.

Don’t despair however. If you know where to look for alternatives, you’ll no doubt find that there are many other opportunities to gain employment as a Registered Nurse.

TPPP and GNP programs in South Australia

The largest employer of graduate nurses in South Australia is SA Health, which also encompasses employment in Country Health SA hospitals. Their graduate year program is known as the Transition to Professional Practice Program (or TPPP).

Graduate nurse programs are also offered by some private hospitals (e.g. ACHA Health Hospitals) and aged care service providers.

TPPP SA Health Careers Last viewed 8 September 2017

You should also regularly check the weekly job alert emails issued by UniSA Career Services for graduate nursing positions as they become available.