A pathway to a dream

The best thing about VU is the friendly, multicultural environment, and the amazing support I received from the teachers.

Mlisho Karega
Diploma of Nursing HLT51607, Bachelor of Nursing

After escaping the Democratic Republic of Congo's civil war at 16 and spending three years in a refugee camp in Tanzania, Mlisho Karega came to Australia with the dream of joining the medical profession.

"Everything changed when I got a chance to come here. I enrolled at VU Polytechnic in 2009, to complete a Certificate III in Written and Spoken English [91423NSW]. I then undertook a pathway from the Diploma of Nursing [HLT51607] to complete my Bachelor of Nursing. As you can see I'm a VU boy.

The best thing about VU was the friendly, multicultural environment, and the amazing support I received from the teachers.

I'm currently a registered nurse in the cardiac care unit at Sunshine Hospital, a position I don't believe I would have gained had I not been given the chance to showcase my skills on placement. My placement is where I gained the confidence I needed to put what I learned in class into practice.

I've since undertaken further training in advanced life support and now I'm part of the Code Blue team. I love challenging myself and getting the annual extra training.

I plan to continue my education by undertaking further studies. My long-term goal is to become a doctor.

I believe education is everything. If you stop learning, you start dying."

Mlisho Karega kneeling and kissing his graduation certificate
Mlisho's proud graduation day in 2016 (Photos courtesy Mukasa Brothers Production)

Mlisho studied