Blue Haven Illawarra has joined Kiama Community College and Kiama High School to offer two new aged care training opportunities for locals looking to start a career in the growth industry.

Kiama Community College is providing a Certificate III in Individual Support and Kiama High School is providing a two year school-based traineeship for senior students.

“We have consulted heavily with Blue Haven in the development of our program to ensure that when our graduates complete their course, they will be very suited to the way Blue Haven operates and the types of things they are looking for in the age care workers,” says Helen Zwicker, Executive Officer of Kiama Community College.

“Blue Haven has had direct input into the unit selection and content of the Certificate III in Individual Support qualification.”

The five month course is a nationally recognised qualification and also includes a compulsory 120 hour work placement, which can be done at Blue Haven.

“This course also involves work placement at Blue Haven, providing industry specific training in a real workplace for the practical side of their studies,” says Ms Zwicker.

“It can be quite a challenge to find placements for students doing a course but part of this partnership is that Blue Haven have said they will provide work placements for all those people, which will be great experience for them.

“This is the first time we have offered this certificate and we have just hired our first aged care coordinator and are currently hiring our first trainers.”

Kiama Community College's Helen Zwicker with Dale Wakefield, Acting Director Blue Haven

The Kiama High School traineeship will involve students who are in their senior years studying at school and TAFE.

They will also need to complete a minimum of 100 days or about 800 hours of work at Blue Haven.

When students graduate, they will have their Cert III qualification and their HSC.

“It’s a great opportunity for students to get a head start in terms of a career in that area and there are currently five year 11 students who are doing the traineeship,” says Mitchell Grove, Kiama High School Careers Advisor.

“It’s really important for students to have options to engage in the workforce while they are still at school and to also have the chance to pursue vocational pathways and not just university pathways.

“The traineeships are all done and dusted at the end of Year 12, so the students will have their HSC, their Certificate III qualification and a good amount of paid employment experience under their belt.”

Blue Haven CEO Jane Stroud says the new training opportunities were a response to recommendations from the Royal Commission into Aged Care.

“The Royal Commission recommended more government funding to train our aged care workers,” she says.

“Rather than wait for this to happen, we’ve created a local partnership to achieve it right now.

“This partnership will benefit our Blue Haven residents, Kiama Community College, Kiama High and our wider community through quality care and skilled local employment.”

To find out more about the course visit Kiama Community College or call 4232 1050