BY MAVIS N PODOKOLO
Job opportunities for elderly care in Australia for Solomon Islander is increasing, says the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Director acting for External Trade under Ministry of Foreign Affairs and External Trade Barret Saloto said they are looking at training 100 individuals to provide for age-care services overseas.
Mr Saloto confirmed this during the announcement of age-care training Preparatory Training to be delivered in Honiara, Solomon Islands press briefing organised by the Australia, through the Australia Pacific Training Coalition (APTC) earlier this week.
“In fact under this age care preparatory training programme we are looking at training 100 Solomon Islanders to undergo this training and we have selected 75 workers already from the work ready full and so we are left with 25 workers we are yet to select,” he said.
Saloto said 75 workers have been selected and they have passed the language and literacy training in order for them to be placed in this programme but 25 workers are yet to be selected.
“We are working closely with the Ministry of Health and Medical Services to identify some of the nurses that they would like to come on board and be trained under this programme.
“In fact the MHMS already gave us the list of nurses that they think available to under the training under the age care,” he said.
Saloto said this is a very good initiative in terms of boosting participation under the age-care sector.
“Labour mobility is the high priority for Solomon Islands Government and benefits a lot of people and a lot of more of our people are still eager and keen to join this scheme.”
Saloto adds, Solomon Islands have 32 workers working in Age-care in Australia and they came through APTC training; 12 of those are male workers and 20 of them are females and so “we are looking forward for more workers to be trained”.
Counsellor Alison Purnell said Australia’s support across the region through APTC remains the same. The partnership is expected to yield positive outcome in shaping the future of age care programme.
“We anticipate we will see positive outcome from this collaborative effort. I take this opportunity to highlight the cordial relationship between APTC and the labour mobility unit within the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and External Trade.”
