Two men, Sanjay Narain Sharma, 47, and Alivereti Tagivetaua, 33, recently graduated as part of the third cohort of the National Employment Centre programme, alongside 39 other trainees. They received their Certificate III in Individual Support (Aging) during a ceremony held at Calvary Temple last Friday.
This initiative is backed by the Australian Aged Care Expansion (ACE) program, which operates under the Pacific Australia Labour and Mobility (PALM) scheme. The theoretical training was provided by Alphacrucis University College, an Australian institution that is recognized and registered by the Fijian Higher Education Commission.
Mr. Sharma discovered his passion for caregiving while caring for his mother, who passed away in 2022. He expressed that there is no greater fulfillment than looking after others. “I gained experience from taking care of my other family members who are elderly, but my true passion came when I cared for my mother,” he stated.
Mr. Tagivetaua shared that his greatest challenge was completing the practical training, the final segment of the program before graduation. He reflected on never having the opportunity to care for his grandparents due to their passing when he was very young. He sees this training as a chance to offer the love and care he couldn’t provide to them.
Gaayetri Prasad, manager of Foreign Employment Services at the Ministry of Employment, Productivity and Workplace Relations, emphasized the importance of representing Fiji positively when they travel to Australia. She advised the graduates to carry themselves with pride, as they will be paving the way for others interested in the program.
The graduates are expected to complete their training by June.
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