Job Discussion Forums

[Stuka]

If at first you don’t succeed…

Foteini Kourakou is a qualified Greek nurse but, since moving to Northern Ireland to be with her fiancé, has had to scratch a living as a care assistant.

She sat the Ielts test a mind-boggling eight times, but could not reach the standard required of EU nurses in the UK.

The essay section, she said, flummoxed her every time, despite excelling in the other skills. In all, she spent £2,000 in exam fees and tutoring.

But now, she has become the first person in Northern Ireland to sit the Occupational English Test and register as a nurse since the Nursing and Midwifery Council relaxed the rules on which tests it accepted.

She had to travel to the Irish Republic to sit the test as it is not yet available in the north. Ms Kourakou, who hopes to return to intensive care nursing, told The Irish News: ‘I became totally demoralised and so nervous about each exam.’

http://digital.elgazette.com/june-2018/teachers-pet-naughty-corner-june-2018.html

[wailing_imam]

The failure rate (e.g those failing to get an equivalent IELTS band 7) on the OET is VERY high. I think 17% of candidates acheive their desired score on the first seating. The test is also 33% more expensive than IELTS.