School Leavers Program 2025 Qs

So, I basically finished the interview stage of the aus government school leavers program for 2025. (I’m pretty sure I failed because the interviewer looked crazy bored when I was replying to the situational questions but here I am asking anyway.) The only problem is that I’m super divided between two pathways, and I kind of need some questions answered. (I’m too scared to ask the official email in case they get a bad impression while grading me.)

I’ve asked my own parents and some other adults, but I would like some unbiased opinions.

Okay this is going to be pretty long. I’m very sorry. So 52 grand approx a year, and I calculated I’ll be needing around 2 grand or more a month to properly live in a share house when I get kicked out of the house by something April. I just don’t know if I’ll be able to save properly with how bad the inflation and economic crisis is going.

I’m really into medical stuff, and want to go into nursing- I want to take an AIN 9 month program, but it sounds hard to juggle a full time APS 1 position and part time studying and attending, + minimum 80 hours in the workplace/hospital. Even after that, the thing is that I’m super worried on how I’m going to provide for myself once I finish the one year program, and want to continue studying.

There is a chance I could get offered the APS 2 position on completion of the program and I performed well enough, but I don’t like to base my life on chances because my anxiety will make me go into an overdrive if anything moves out of my plans like the absolute mess of this length text. (I’ve got a seperate plan in the case I also don’t get accepted into the leavers program, but this is just in case.) I really want to save over 10 grand by the end of next year in preparation for what is after my AIN program, that I’ll be hopefully starting into a diploma of nursing, but there’s no way I’m going to get that much saved if I enter the leavers program.

I just don’t know if I should maybe give up on my wish of at least being in a floor position in a hospital that’s pretty well paid and being able to handle and administer medicine, patients, and other items. Or if I should go forward into an APS government position for job security, okay pay for now, great superannuation, and move up the levels for maybe a decade or two of my life or until I can do part time in the government.

If I DO part time, then I could do the medical program. But then I lose a technical year already when I finish the full time program and it extends the lengthy progress of what looks like at least 8 years to make it to a position of an RN. Even then, 80-90 grand base pay per year from an enrolled nurse + AIN’s pay approximate mean is something 60-70 grand. Is an extra 10-20 grand a good enough bump up after maybe 4 years or more doing a bachelor in nursing?

Also, is there a date I should be expecting to receive a reply on if I fail or pass for the program?

Sorry if I sound really stupid, but if anyone with experience in the APS workforce or in general could give me their advice, that would be really nice. Thank you.