A total of 11 Kiribati nationals have commenced work under the Aged Care sector in Australia to work under the Pacific Labour Scheme.

APTC provided refresher training to the first APTC alumni to work in the aged care sector in November to ensure work readiness of recruited care providers when departing to Australia.

The group of confident professional care providers are employed with Bolton Clarke and Warrigal under the Pacific Labour Scheme.

APTC Individual Support Trainer, Sandy O'Brien, says it is an exciting opportunity for these capable care providers.

"I am super proud and excited for these i-Kiribati women to be granted this opportunity. They are excellent 'Support Workers' full of compassion. They will be a wonderful asset to their new employer and the older clients they will be caring for."

Sandy Kurarenga, who is one of the care providers, says she is grateful for the opportunity and looks forward to her new venture.

"The refresher training that was provided in Kiribati by the trainer helped us familiarise ourselves with the facilities that are actually here [at Bolton Clarke and Warrigal] as well as prepared us for this move."

"We all give thanks to APTC for this support as without this training we would not have had the opportunity to work in Australia and hopefully more Aged Care workers will come to work here from the Pacific."

Bolton Clarke Workforce Resourcing Manager, Alison Boundy, has expressed her satisfaction with the i-Kiribati nationals currently employed in the aged care residential facility in Longreach.

"As an approved employer participating in the Pacific Labour Scheme, I was very impressed with the speed at which APTC responded to our request for refresher training in the Certificate III in Individual Support for all our shortlisted candidates. Our new employees arrived in Australia ready to work and have settled into their new roles very well."

To date, APTC has graduated 308 students in Certificate III in Individual Support (Ageing, Home and Community), of which 37 are i-Kiribati nationals.

The Pacific Labour Scheme provides an opportunity to Pacific Island citizens to earn an income, save money and send income home, allowing them to financially support their community and plan for the future. APTC is managed by TAFE Queensland and provides Australian qualifications to Pacific Island citizens in their own countries.