During the last day for the Federation TAFE Wimmera Diploma of Nursing class, who now face assessments and placement, the award winner was announced on Tuesday, November 9.

Nursing student, Sarah Marchesini, was named the recipient of the award - funded through Horsham Rural City Council under its Community Development Grants Program.

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Nursing diploma teacher Gabby McCulloch said she was proud of all the students after a hard two years.

"They have stayed true to task and haven't faltered in quality," she said.

Ms McCulloch said the 2021 year was one of the hardest to decide who won the award.

Ms Marchesini was nominated by her teachers for her high standard of work academically and in practical settings.

Horsham Rural City Council Mayor Cr Robyn Guilline presented the award.

The $300 award recognises students who have shown excellence in their studies and their contribution to the community.

Ms Marchesini is undertaking her final two weeks of placement in Orthopedics at Ballarat Health Services. Prior to this, she had placements in Horsham, Ararat and Hamilton in an acute ward, emergency department, aged care facility and in a surgical unit.

Ms Marchesini said she appreciated the diverse experience she gained during these placements; amazed by the amount that she was able to see and do during her training.

"Having the opportunity to study locally is important. It keeps people here in the Wimmera. It is good to have people with local knowledge stay here to look after their community," she said.

Ms Marchesini said she enjoyed her time shadowing a Medical Emergency Team call nurse in the emergency room in Hamilton, where she experienced how fast-paced and intense the job can be, but also the way staff worked as a team to care for patients. This solidified her interest and passion for wanting to be a nurse.

She also stressed the need to have local access to good education pathways to keep young and skilled people in regional areas.

Learning on the job appealed to Ms Marchesini, as did the opportunity to study in her hometown of Horsham, where she could continue her part-time work and be close to her support network.

"Having the opportunity to study locally is important. It keeps people here in the Wimmera. It is good to have people with local knowledge stay here to look after their community," she said.

Federation Head of Campus, Wimmera, Geoffrey Lord praised Ms Marchesini for her achievement and the importance of nurses and education in the Wimmera.

"We are so proud of Sarah and all she has achieved in the past two years with Federation TAFE. We're really excited to see what she does next," he said.

"The local Wimmera community needs nurses, and we will continue to ensure that local people have access to quality training so they can stay in the region."

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