Gunnedah’s Jedd Mansfield is one of three finalists in the North West region for the Trainee of the Year Award and is now just a stone’s throw away from reaching the state’s award.

Son of Shae and Craig Mansfield, the St Mary’s College Year 12 student began his Certificate III in Health Services Assistance in February 2023 through TAFE.

Jedd was nominated for the award by his TAFE teacher and nurse educator at the Gunnedah Hospital.

He was picked from about 70 applicants with just six making it to the interview stage. Jedd will find out next week whether he has secured the region’s award. If so, he will be off to Sydney for the announcement of the NSW title.

“Getting to this point was pretty good anyways, top three out of 70 isn’t too bad,” he said.

He began his traineeship in February 2023 and has been working at the Gunnedah Hospital one day per week to contribute to the 700 hours of work placement needed throughout the two years.

He is now half way through his second year and has completed about 650 hours.

Along with his work placement and TAFE studies, he has to keep up with his peers by doing regular schoolwork and preparing for the HSC exams in October.

He is self described as a “hands on person” so it is no surprise that working at the hospital is an “I love it” experience.

“I love working there,” he said. “The patients I deal with, they are funny. They always have a good laugh or whatever, it is good to just build that.

“I can learn who they are and what they like. The longer they are there the better care I can give them.

“Before they even ask for something for breakfast, I already know. I have got it there so they do not have to be waiting.

“I love helping the nurses. It is just a really good satisfaction at the end of the day.

“Knowing that you actually help both the patients and take some work off the nurses so their lives are a bit easier.”

Jedd has a limited number of activities he can do such as moving patients and giving general care at this point in his studies but he says that help leaves room for the medical staff to do
more.

“[The nurses] can do the more important stuff and altogether that is just a lot better for patients and I think that is great,” he said.

Finishing the traineeship will not count toward university units but it does help with acceptance into the Bachelor of Nursing degree he is pining for in Newcastle.

“I would recommend it to anyone. They have traineeships for just about everything,” he said.

“If you get offered a traineeship or someone mentions it, I would definitely recommend it.”

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