Townsville twins graduate as nurses' debt free
Many nurses say their career is a calling and 19-year-old twins Heidi and Emmy Draper agree.
They recently fulfilled their goal to become enrolled nurses and were among 16 students graduating in July after completing Mater Education's fee-free,18-month Diploma of Nursing course.
“It’s been great going through the course with my twin sister because you always have a buddy and someone to study with,” Heidi said.
“Mater Education's Diploma of Nursing has given us both the opportunity to become nurses without having to pay $25,000 course tuition,” she said.
Almost 100 students have enrolled in the Diploma of Nursing in Townsville since Mater Education was accredited by the State Government as an approved provider of the fee-free course in 2023.
The twins started the 18-month course after finishing high school and they plan to work as enrolled nurses for the rest of the year before starting a degree in nursing in 2026.
“I’ve wanted to be a nurse since I was 10 because I really like helping people and I want to work in aged care,” said Emmy.
“I would recommend Mater’s Diploma of Nursing, you get great experience and gain knowledge in many different areas of nursing,” she said.
Former construction worker 35-year-old Ryan Bates graduated in the same class and said becoming a nurse has been a lifelong dream.
“I have been in construction since I was 18 but I have always been interested in nursing, I have family members who are nurses, and they’ve told me how rewarding it is,” Mr Bates said.
“It’s been a life changing experience and given me the opportunity to change careers without having to pay $25,000 course tuition.
“Working on a ward is a lot different from being on a construction site, but I love making a difference to patients’ lives.”
Mr Bates has secured a graduate position as an Enrolled Nurse in the surgical ward at Mater Townsville and starts in August.
“I’m thrilled to have a job lined up, and I’m hoping it will be an easy transition because of all the on the job training we receive in the course,” he said.
Mater is Queensland’s largest not-for-profit healthcare provider and manages 11 private and public hospitals across the state.
Mater has been training nurses and other health professionals since 1906 and is the only nationally accredited, independent, hospital-based Registered Training Organisation (RTO) in Queensland.
Mater Education Director of Education and Training Toni-Maree Henaway said educators were expecting more Townsville locals to take advantage of fee-free study with applications now open for the January 2026 course.
“Queensland urgently needs to expand its nursing workforce to meet the healthcare needs of our community now and into the future,” she said.
“Fee-free training has been an enormous incentive for those wanting to start their healthcare career.
“If you’ve been considering a healthcare career, there has never been a better time than now to make the change!”
Applicants for the Fee-Free TAFE initiative must live in Queensland and be Australian citizens or permanent residents to be eligible for a fee-free Diploma of Nursing.
