Earlier this month we celebrated with our staff the achievements of those who have completed vocational training and professional development over the past five years.
It was an especially heart-warming event because it was the first such get-together we’ve been able to hold since 2019. These graduation ceremonies simply weren’t possible over the intervening years because of COVID – even the one planned for last year had to be cancelled because of illness.
This month’s graduation ceremony reinforced the message that we’ve been putting out into the community for a while now, that there are any number of educational and professional development pathways that can lead to a career in Care.
This is true even from entry-level roles like catering and cleaning. From these ‘launch pads’ individuals can explore numerous opportunities for professional development. They can specialise in various areas within care and benefit professionally from learning the complexities, and love, of aged care. This allows for career growth and increased earning potential.
37 members of our staff and leadership team were recognised for their efforts and successes in professional development over the past five years. That’s a very respectable 26 percent of our total headcount.
Many of our Healthcare Assistants (HCAs) were recognised for their NZQA certificates in Health and Wellbeing, obtained through our partnership with Careerforce. These start at NZQA Level 2 and progress through to Level 4, and create a great platform from which to enrol into full nursing qualifications. Two of our former HCAs have followed this path recently; one is now an enrolled nurse and the other has her Registered Nurse qualification.
Other qualifications recognised at this month’s ceremony ranged from NZQA cleaning and housekeeping certification, right through to diversional therapy, dementia care, horticulture therapy, health and safety, business administration, and retirement village marketing and management.
This range illustrates well the point that there are many career opportunities in the Care sector beyond caregiving. There are opportunities in administration, management, healthcare, therapy and catering. Even trade apprenticeships.
Indeed, many of the career opportunities available at The Village do not require existing qualifications. The Village offers full training and support for any of these roles. The Village also offers work experience and student placement training to support those who want to develop their careers, particularly as registered or enrolled nurses.
This diversity of career pathways enables individuals to transition into roles that better align with their aspirations, while remaining connected to their communities.
Part of the reason that I’m always so delighted to take part in these graduation ceremonies is that they represent betterment not just for the staff members whose achievements are being celebrated, but also for the ill and elderly they care for.
In conclusion, the retirement living and aged care sector is a beacon of opportunity for individuals in rural New Zealand. The sector's growth, the variety of career paths it offers, and its ability to address the scarcity of jobs in rural areas make it an excellent choice for those looking to build and grow their careers while remaining rooted in their rural communities.
