Centacare has launched a new free course called Introduction to Ageing and Disability, which aims to provide entry-level skills and knowledge required for roles in the aged care and disability sectors. It is suitable for students interested in the Aged Care and Disability sectors but unsure if they would like to commit to the full Individual Support qualification.

This course comes after the WA State Government announced their partnership with Western Australia’s resources industry to pilot a new Job Ready pathways to employment program. Under this initiative, Jobseekers aged 18-25 are able to undertake free short course training with registered training organisations in May 2022.

Nageena Maskinyar was a student under the Job Ready program, where she undertook the taster program at Centacare.

After working as a barista for a couple of years, Nageena was determined to take a turn in her career in the Individual Support industry. She started the Job Ready program looking for work in the aged care and disability industry.

“My younger sister sent me an email with the Job Ready Program flyer. I was instantly interested and thought it is a good program as it assimilates you straight into the workforce in a way,” she said.

Before the Job Ready program, Nageena has gained two degrees in university, a bachelor of arts in anthropology and history and a grad cert in HR.

“It was a really good experience. They were short days, and the training site is very convenient to get to via public transport. I was nervous on the first day here and worried that it would be too full-on, but the orientation part was really helpful and Vicky was so helpful and understanding if we have other issues that came up. I would definitely recommend her.”

The course offers four units of competencies from the nationally recognised Certificate III in Individual Support qualification and requires students to attend class five days a week for three weeks. It also offers two weeks of work experience where students can apply their knowledge to practical use and gain industry experience.

“I did enjoy learning the four units but there was also a lot of information to process. It was a little different when it comes to applying to the work placement, I think because we get marked on the placement we will need to do some of the Individual Support unit and activities of the daily living support. I do think in theory wise, it did prepare us for the application when we go on work placement.”

The story behind the motivation

Nageena’s interest to enter the care industry was first realised through her experience with a neighbour and family friend.

“A long time ago, my family and I had a neighbour who was like a grandmother to us. We, especially my younger sister, looked after her a lot, and my dad would drive her to places whenever she required. And then, she went into a nursing home when she started deteriorating. I wish I was with her a bit more than I was. I also want to help people because I feel like a lot of the elder community is quite neglected, so it’s really hard on them, especially living with dementia,” she explained.

When asked about her long-term goals, Nageena said she had plans to go into a Human Resouces role but also found herself enjoying her time during her work placement.

“It was challenging,” she recalled, “but it was also really interesting. It was nice to work with a friendly team, and the clientele was nice and lovely. I feel like I have a lot of career changes all the time, but for right now, I would like to work in the aged care industry and see where it takes me. I am a really indecisive person, but this is actually something I feel like I want to do so I think I might stick with it for a while.”

“I enjoy the rewarding aspect of the job and the people that I work with. This is different from when I was studying at university, it is less stressful, which is a good thing,” she continued.

After completing the short 5-week course, Nageena has decided to continue her studies in the CHC33015 Certificate III in Individual Support (Ageing) course with Centacare and become a qualified support worker. Since she has completed the 5-week short course, Negeena will be completing the remaining 14 weeks to gain the full qualification.

“I want to work full time. I want to work at Treeby, where I completed my work placement at. I think it would be helpful and useful for the community if more people are working in the aged care industry. For the people who are on the fence to take on the course, I would honestly do it again,” she said.