Work Readiness Program – learner experience | Selmar Institute of Education

Getting to know the ins and outs of a sector you’ve never worked in before can be a challenge. At, Selmar, we identified the need for a solution for those who want to start a course and gain hands on experience, but are keen to learn about what the aged care sector is all about in the lead up. Enter, our Work Readiness Program.

The Work Readiness Program is part one of our two-part Aged Care Employment Program (part two being a practical traineeship with Uniting where you can learn on the job while enjoying flexible study for your Certificate III in Individual Support).

Learners undertake a comprehensive 4-week Work Readiness Program to prepare for a career in Aged Care. Once they’ve successfully completed the Work Readiness Program, learners will open a pathway into a CHC33015 Certificate III in Individual Support traineeship with highly regarded and leading aged care provider Uniting NSW.ACT.

Prakash Sainath was a learner from our very first cohort for the Aged Care Employment Program. He has long held the desire to give back to the community, but it wasn’t until recently that the timing aligned for him to pursue aged care.

With a background in a busy sales and marketing environment, the move to aged care was prompted as Prakash considered the shift in the level of support required by his own ageing family member.

“I could see as I grew older my relatives who I once saw as young and active became more isolated from the community and less able to move around easily.

“When you consider elderly parents, you either want to be able to care for them or know that there is someone who can care for them and improve their quality of life.”

Prakash was kind enough to chat to us and share his experiences from the Work Readiness Program after he completed it recently.

Many benefits to gain for learners in the Work Readiness Program

For Prakash, it was a matter of gaining a well-rounded understanding of the aged care sector before he commenced a career within it.

“The Work Readiness program was fantastic. There were a lot of insights into how to work in this sector and how to handle from A to Z things that will come up in aged care.”

The Work Readiness Program provides four weeks of learning before transitioning into a traineeship with Uniting NSW.ACT. During this period he was able to build practical skills, develop his adaptive and interpersonal skills and enhance his employability before heading into the workplace.

Not only did this give Prakash insight into what an aged care career involves, but it also meant that he could build confidence within himself.

“We learned how to use our past skills to help us in the present with aged care, and it really helps you develop your empathy and your confidence so you feel ready to use all your skills in the workplace.”

Prakash commenced part two of the Selmar Aged Care Employment Program in January, and while covid restrictions and outbreaks have presented challenges, he is looking forward to continuing his journey in the sector. For him, the Work Readiness Program has been a strong way to start:

“Taking a course somewhere and getting into training, you find yourself thinking of what to do next. Rather than that, you have got a program where you are taught by experts in the sector, being mentored, getting help writing your CV and there’s a proper interview where you can put all your learning into practical.”

Following the successful completion of the Work Readiness Program, learners may transition to the following opportunities:

A traineeship with Uniting NSW.ACT to complete their Certificate III in Individual Support (CHC33015) in Ageing or Home and Community
Employment opportunities with Uniting NSW.ACT
Experience and qualifications for a meaningful career in a booming sector
The chance to support our most vulnerable community members

To summarise, you can take it from Prakash:

“The Work Readiness Program is absolutely great!”

Applications are opening for the Selmar Aged Care Employment Program Cohort 2, which begins in April 2022.

Part 1: Work Readiness Program
Duration/delivery: 4 weeks, full-time, online
Fee-free* for eligible applicants
Start date: April 2022

Part 2: Traineeship with Uniting NSW.ACT
Qualification: CHC33015 Certificate III in Individual Support
Streams: Ageing or Home and Community
Duration/delivery: 12 months, full-time or part-time
Fee-free* for eligible applicants
Start date: June 2022