The Australia Pacific Technical College (APTC) has signed a partnership agreement with Fiji’s Ministry of Women, Children and Poverty Alleviation that strengthens both parties’ commitment to improving the quality of aged care services in Fiji. 

A flagship program of the Australian Government, APTC has been providing Australian-standard skills and qualifications across a wide range of vocational careers for skilled workers across the Pacific.

As part of the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA), students undertaking APTC’s Certificate III in Individual Support (Aging, Home and Community) program will be able to gain industry placements at the Department of Social Welfare’s aged care facilities in Fiji.

The Department of Social Welfare’s aged care facilities in Fiji include the Samabula Senior Citizen’s Home, Golden Age Home in Lautoka and Babasiga Ashram Old People’s home in Labasa.

Also as part of the partnership, staff of the aged care facilities will benefit from at least four professional development training opportunities delivered to them by APTC’s Individual Support Trainers throughout the year.

During the signing of the MOA, the Permanent Secretary for Ministry of Women, Children and Poverty Alleviation, Dr Josefa Koroivueta said the collaboration will raise the standard of caregiving services in the country.

“The MOA also has room for other areas that we could cooperate with, such as the ability of our staff to be trained within the professionalism of APTC, to be able to graduate them to standards of best practice and at the end of the day, provide quality care to the people that we have been trusted to serve,” he added.

He further thanked the Australian Government for supporting the initiative. 

The Australian High Commission Counsellor-Regional Development Cooperation, Mr Gordon Burns said it is tremendous to have a formalised agreement between the Department of Social Welfare and APTC. 

“We are very grateful for the continuing support of the Department of Social Welfare for enabling APTC to send its students to work placements under supervision in aged care homes.”

“The connection between technical and vocational training institutes and industry employers is crucial, these kinds of partnerships are fantastic, and what APTC brings is an example of excellent technical and vocational training opportunities,” he said.

APTC’s Certificate III in Individual Support (Ageing, Home and Community) program addresses work primarily in residential facilities under direct or regular supervision within clearly defined organisation guidelines and service plans.

As part of their training, Certificate III in Individual Support students have to spend 120 hours within the industry through a two-week placement.

The MOA between the Ministry’s Department of Social Welfare Unit and APTC is effective from 6 March.