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Catherine Tu'akalau – a registered nurse and working mum, who wanted to upskill in her profession

Meet Catherine

We met with Catherine Tu'akalau, a registered nurse and working mum who wanted to grow her career. Her goal was to be one of the first nurse practitioners in Wellington and through Massey, she achieved that.

Kia ora Catherine! Tell us why you decided to pursue your postgraduate studies at Massey.

I really wanted to upskill, but I was a busy, full-time working mum. My daughter was only little, so I had to consider what was going to work best. Massey’s flexible nature was attractive, which allowed me to do it all.

Being able to study by distance was a huge motivating factor for me and the main reason I chose to study at Massey.

What has your journey at Massey been like?

I love that all the academic staff I have interacted with are nurses. So they get it. They’ve always taken the time to check in and encourage me from afar, especially through the lockdown periods. It’s what kept me going. I’ve always felt cared for and nurtured throughout my studies.

I believe that studying should be an option, not a barrier. Massey’s flexible nature works and makes it possible to upskill in our profession. It fits into your life but gives you the option to progress in your career.

You completed your Postgraduate Diploma in Nursing and then went into further study. Tell us about that.

My goal initially was to just do my Postgraduate Diploma in Nursing, but the pathway was so well set out that I decided to keep going and do a Master of Nursing. That’s what I love about Massey - It’s like a building block!

What are you most proud of?

I’ve always wanted to be a nurse practitioner and I was Wellington’s first Pacific nurse practitioner. I now feel confident that I can take my skills back home to serve my community.

What further ambitions do you have?

I’ve decided I want to do a PhD! Next year I’ll start, and I’m so excited. My dream is to work at the World Health Organisation (WHO), and I think having this qualification will help me have a voice. Sometimes, you need those important letters in front of your name to have a voice.

Study nursing

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Distance & online study

Learn about distance and online study at Te Kunenga ki Pūrehuroa Massey University: how it works, what it costs, who can do it and how we support you.

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Admission & enrolment

Find out how and when to apply to Massey, how to get credits for previous learning, and how to change and withdraw from study.

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Services for students

We offer a lot of support to help you have a positive time at Massey and to make the most of student life.

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