WEA Hunter and Calvary Cessnock Retirement Community have joined forces to provide students with a unique opportunity to undertake pre-vocational training as a pathway to potential employment within the aged and community care sector.

In February this year, 35 people began a pre-vocational course in ‘Individual Support’ that is designed to assist suitable persons to gain entry into the aged care industry. Participants will undertake three units of competency from Certificate III in Individual Support and two units of competency from Certificate II in Skills for Work and Vocational Pathways.

The program runs for nine weeks and on completion the successful graduates may be offered the opportunity to complete the full Certificate III Individual Support (Ageing) qualification as a Calvary Cessnock trainee. The pre-vocational training component of the program is subsidised by the NSW Government under its Smart and Skilled initiative.

Throughout the course, students undertake 60 hours of work placement, which commences in week 5 of their program. Students will be partnered with Calvary Cessnock mentors throughout the placement.

Calvary Cessnock General Manager, Kristin Smith said that the program would find individuals that want to make a difference in the resident’s lives.

“You have to love working with older people and you have to have a “can do” attitude. The pre-vocational program allows both Calvary and the individual to decide if the aged care industry is for them,” Kirstin said.

“We have had many trainees go on to full employment in the industry or further their studies as a Registered Nurse. There are so many great applicants this year and it will be hard to narrow the list down.”

WEA Hunter RTO Training and Development Manager, Bronwyn Musgrove, said that the partnership with Calvary was providing a unique opportunity for people looking to start a career in aged care.

“WEA Hunter specialises in working in partnership with organisations like Calvary to determine skills needs and then provide the right kind of training options that prepare people for work,” Bronwyn said.

IMAGE  | Calvary Cessnock Clinical Nurse Educator Ashleigh Johns, Calvary Cessnock Mentor Kate Greentree, Calvary Cessnock General Manager Kristin Smith, WEA Hunter Acting Education Unit Senior Officer Kylie Williams, Calvary Retirement Communities Learning and Development Manager Neda Deilamy Moezzi.