Michelle O'Donoghue, student psychiatric nurse

Michelle O'Donoghue from Mallow is in her final year of a psychiatric nursing degree in the University of Limerick. 34 year old Michelle had always been interested in nursing but it wasn't until 2004 that she started to looking into pursuing it as a career.

"I started a FÁS course in 2004 in healthcare assistance for the elderly and then I did a course in Mallow College from 2005-2006 in pre-nursing. I have always had an interest in nursing but after I left school I did hairdressing for a year and I was then in the catering industry for five or six years so the opportunity only arose after this."

Michelle has just half a year left in her degree and she is currently awaiting results which she should receive in about two weeks. Meanwhile she is doing her internship in Ennis and is thoroughly enjoying it. However, going back to college was not without its own challenges.

"I did my Leaving Certificate in 1996 so when I started college in 2007 everything had changed. Everything was done by computer which I hadn't much experience of using so I had to come around to IT fairly quickly. About 15 to 20 per cent of the class were mature students so you're up against students who have come straight from school and are used to studying so you're constantly battling and up against the grind.

"It's a hard slog definitely but it's more than worth it. It was a tough decision initially, I live in Mallow on my own and I had to get a car as I commute to Limerick every day and between college, work placement and then exams I have barely had a minute to myself, a social life wasn't really an option."

Michelle says that like most of her class, she isn't sure what the job situation will be when she leaves college but she is optimistic of finding work. 

"I'll probably have to do agency work for the first couple of years but I came 17th out of over 800 people in the National Panel Interview so that should hopefully make it easier when looking for work close to home.

"The job satisfaction I have from doing work that I want to do is all that matters, yes it's hard going back but I'm delighted I did and I will hopefully eventually get a permanent position somewhere which is what I am really looking forward to!"