Manly West resident Katelyn Collins, 18, graduated from Mater Education’s Diploma of Nursing program on 24 January 2025 as one of 35 students in the first fee-free cohort. Through the Fee-Free TAFE initiative, she saved nearly $25,000 in tuition fees.
The Fee-Free TAFE initiative, introduced in 2023, aims to strengthen Queensland’s healthcare workforce. It offers up to 3,500 fee-free places in the Diploma of Nursing through select training providers.

The 18-month course at Mater Hospital Brisbane provided Ms Collins with hands-on clinical training. This opportunity gave her the essential skills required to work in hospital wards.
A Cohort Ready for the Frontline

Ms Collins is among a cohort of young, hospital-trained nurses ready to enter the workforce. Her fellow graduates, Laura Barrett and Emma Henderson, both 18, also completed their Diploma of Nursing without the burden of tuition debt.
For Ms Henderson, the fee-free training allowed her to fast-track her nursing career after she graduated from high school at 16. She has since secured a graduate position in the gynaecology ward at Mater Private Hospital Brisbane. Ms Henderson hopes to qualify as a registered nurse through further study.
Ms Barrett, who plans to specialise in midwifery, said the financial relief from fee-free training allowed her to focus entirely on her studies. She hopes to work at Mater Mothers’ Hospital in the future.
Like her peers, Ms Collins also advances her career with further studies.
A Pathway to Further Studies
Ms Collins plans to pursue a Bachelor of Nursing at Australian Catholic University (ACU). Her ultimate goal is to work as a registered nurse in the Mater Emergency Department. She will begin her degree at ACU this year.
Mater Education’s partnership with ACU allows 10 diploma graduates each year to gain direct entry into the university without applying through the Queensland Tertiary Admissions Centre (QTAC).

The Plan to Strengthen Workforce
Queensland aims to increase its nursing and midwifery workforce by 19,000 by 2032. The Fee-Free TAFE initiative is key in attracting students to the profession.
To be eligible for the program, applicants must live in Queensland and be Australian citizens or permanent residents. If interested, call 1300 070 350.
Published 30-Jan-2025