TWENTY-FIVE Fijian students celebrated their graduation from NV College this week, each earning a Certificate III in Individual Support.
A graduation ceremony recognised the hard work and dedication of the students, who have completed their training under the Australian Government’s Pacific Australia Labour Mobility (PALM) scheme, as part of the Aged Care Expansion (ACE) program.
Arriving three months ago, the students have been completing the practical, on-the-job components of their training while working in aged care facilities across Macksville, Nambucca Heads, and Kempsey.
The program has offered them not only paid employment, but also the chance to gain new skills, professional experience, and a pathway into the Australian aged care sector.
“We have been able to shift our skills and understanding of equipment to another level that we will be able to use here in Australia or take back to use in aged care work in Fiji,” graduating student Kelera Koroi told News Of The Area.
All graduates were recruited by NVC Group, a local aged care employer and participant in the PALM scheme.
The group is one of several regional businesses partnering with the Australian Government to connect Pacific Islanders with meaningful employment opportunities in Australia.
Jacqui Boaden, Lead Trainer and Assessor at NV College, praised the students’ dedication and compassion.
“To see these students in aged care facilities, caring for our vulnerable, makes us so proud. They are excellent carers,” she said during the ceremony.
The graduating students said they have been made to feel very welcome in the Nambucca Valley and Kempsey areas.
“So many local people, including the residents in the NVC aged care locations, have been treating us like we are a part of their own family which means a lot when we are so far from home,” graduating student Diana Tinairakadi told NOTA.
NVC Group invites anyone considering a career in aged care to explore their Care Ready course, a hands-on, pre-employment program run regularly in both Coffs Harbour and Macksville.
The college also offers full certification through the Certificate III in Individual Support (CHC33021).
For more information, email training@nvcollege.edu.au or call 1300 655 224.
By Mick BIRTLES
