SPARK meets industry workforce needs with a new training and employment program in community care
SPARK in partnership with the Canberra Institute of Technology and Belconnen Community Service is delivering a new and innovative accredited training program focusing on skills development, work experience and employment within the community care sector, to be known as Belconnen Community Care Pre-Employment Program
Specifically targeting people living within the Belconnen and the wider region, the program will provide:
- Participants with a Certificate III in Individual Support (CHC33015) upon completion
- Participants with a Senior First Aid Certificate
- Industry work placements for those participants that meet the selection criteria
- Potential employment pathway opportunities within the sector.
As part of the program participants will receive 120 hours of industry work experience placement where they will be working directly with staff from Belconnen Community Services within the home and community care and disability areas.
Importantly graduates from this program will be welcomed by the industry, which as noted by Anita Dolstra Senior Policy Advisor from Skills Canberra requires a significance increase in its workforce.
“In September 2016 the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) predicted that the ACT NDIS workforce will need to grow by approximately 71% (or by 1000-1200 new workers) by the end of 2018-19 in order to meet increased demand under the National Disability Insurance Scheme. The NDIA’s estimates of the required workforce growth concur with forecasts modelled by Skills Canberra in 2015”.
Jenelle Tinham Executive Manager Programs and Services BCS is also excited about the program and the additional trained people they will have in Community Care.
“This program has given us the ability to customise a training model to specifically meet our recruitment needs, as well as provide outcomes for the local community and great services for our participants,” she said.
Emma Sckrabei, SPARK Training and Employment manager is also delighted to bring this program to fruition, which is now one of 12 programs delivered under the initiative.
“We’re proud to deliver this inaugural program in Community Care as there is an extreme skills shortage of workers in this sector. For us at Ginninderry it’s all about local jobs for local people and we are extremely thankful for the funding support from CIT which has made this program possible”.
This program will commence on Tuesday 25th July 2017 and run four days a week (Tues-Fri), 30 hours per week for 5 months. It will be a combination of theory, practical hands on learning and industry work placement.
To find out more about the program, it is essential that you book in and attend the information session on Wednesday 28th June 2017 at 10am – 12 midday at Kippax Uniting Church, corner of Luke Street and Hardwick Crescent, Holt.
The information session will be in two parts, including a presentation regarding the selection criteria, the program content and the commitment that is required, followed by a selection session for eligible candidates.
To book your place and to find out more information, please contact Ashleigh at Ginninderry on 6255 1173 or email ashleigh@ginninderry.com
The Spark Training and Employment Initiative is a key component of the Ginninderry residential development being project managed by the Ginninderry Joint Venture, comprising ACT Government and Riverview Developments. This initiative will work in collaboration with local stakeholders, agencies and territory and federal departments to develop a range of engagement, education, training and employment pathways for local people within the West Belconnen and Belconnen region.
