News

Albury Wodonga Health has welcomed its 2026 intake of graduate nurses, with clinicians starting across registered nursing, midwifery, mental health and allied health services.

This intake includes 39 Graduate Registered Nurses, commencing as part of a broader intake of 63 graduate RNs across the year, alongside 10 clinicians entering the Mental Health Transition to Specialty Practice program, and two midwives. 

Albury Wodonga Health Chief Executive Officer Bill Appleby said the graduate intake reflected the organisation’s commitment to workforce development and high-quality care.

“Our graduates are central to the future of healthcare in our region,” Mr Appleby said. “By investing in strong graduate and transition programs, we’re building a skilled, confident workforce that can deliver safe, connected and high-quality care for our community, now and into the future.”

Staying local 

The community can look forward to seeing lots of familiar faces at AWH, as a significant proportion of this year’s cohort trained locally. A huge 75 per cent of the general graduate nurses completing their studies at Charles Sturt University or La Trobe University, with others joining AWH after studying at universities across Australia.

Around one in three graduate nurses already work at AWH, transitioning from roles such as Assistant in Nursing or Enrolled Nurses into Registered Nurse positions, or moving into specialty areas such as mental health.

Undergraduate & Early Careers Programs Manager Amy Maclagan said the graduate programs were designed to support early-career clinicians while strengthening the local health workforce. 

“Our graduate and transition programs provide a supportive, structured environment where clinicians can build confidence, develop clinical judgement and grow their professional identity,” Amy said.

“They also play an important role in workforce sustainability, with many graduates choosing to continue their careers with Albury Wodonga Health.”

Graduate nurse program

The Graduate Nurse Program is designed to give nurses with less than 12 months of Registered Nurse experience a supported environment to develop clinical knowledge, competence and skills. 

Over the next 12 months, graduate nurses will rotate through three to four clinical areas, gaining experience across 26 different clinical settings including the emergency department, medical ward, surgical, intensive care, paediatrics, Special Care Nursery, District Nursing Service and more.

As part of their orientation and graduate year, participants will:

• Receive comprehensive orientation to AWH systems, processes and teams
• Be supported by experienced educators, preceptors and clinical teams
• Gain hands-on experience across a range of clinical settings
• Participate in ongoing professional development and learning opportunities

“The graduate nursing program supports nurses to transition from study to practice in a way that builds confidence and capability,” Amy said.

“It’s often a gateway into further training in specialty areas such as emergency, critical care, perioperative services and mental health.”

Transition to Specialty Practice - Mental Health

This year, nine Registered Nurses and five allied health clinicians, including occupational therapists and social workers, have commenced the Transition to Specialty Practice - Mental Health program.

Participants will rotate through a range of inpatient and community-based mental health services, including acute units Kerferd and Nolan House, supported by a structured two-year education and development pathway.

Psychiatric Nurse Consultant Haylee Adamson said the program provided a strong foundation for clinicians entering mental health practice.

“The Mental Health Transition to Specialty Practice program supports both new graduates and experienced clinicians who are moving into mental health,” Haylee said.

“Through structured education, workshops and supervised clinical experience, participants build the knowledge and skills needed to provide safe, high-quality mental health care.”

Investing in the future workforce

Albury Wodonga Health’s graduate and transition programs align with the organisation’s strategic focus on workforce development, clinical excellence and regional leadership.

By supporting early-career clinicians and creating clear pathways into specialty practice, AWH continues to invest in a skilled, confident and connected workforce to meet the future health needs of the community.