200 complete geriatric caregiver training
KOTA KINABALU: Two hundred participants successfully completed the “Geriatric Caregiver Training” and graduated on Jan 11.
This Training was organized by FabNest Sdn Bhd under the Penjana HRDF initiative by Kementerian Sumber Manusia.
The certification ceremony was graced by Datuk Rosnah Hj A.R Shirlin, chairman and founder of Yayasan Jiwa Sabah and officiated by Shahelmey bin Yahya, Minister of Community Development and People’s Wellbeing. Aylwin Santiago, CEO and Founder of FabNest Sdn Bhd was also present at the ceremony.
The participants from Kota Kinabalu, Sandakan, Papar, Ranau, Semporna, Kota Marudu, Kota Belud, Inanam, Kuala Penyu, Tuaran etc. and aged between 18 to 50 attended the training program at The Black Box Theatre at Suria Sabah starting from Dec 7, 2020 to Jan 11, 2021.
The participants were trained in two batches of 100 to accommodate the CMCO SOP. Each batch was trained for 15 days. Despite the challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic, FabNest took necessary measures to ensure the training was executed in a safe manner in accordance with the SOP.
The participants were given training in both theory and hands-on for skill learning related to Aged Care and Assisted Care in Geriatrics. The training also focused on the emotions and attitude in caring for the elderly. The participants came from various walks of life. Many were currently unemployed from the pandemic while some were looking for a good career option. The training was targeted at the B40 community.
“We are currently deploying these participants to various care centers in Semenanjung Malaysia, Sabah and Sarawak for employment,” said Rosnah.
“The trainees who go on to become caregivers under the FabNest management will have the opportunity to embark on the Diploma in Caregiving program which requires at least two years working experience and series of advanced courses, and assessments throughout their contract.
“In this present time, caregivers are in great demand. With the increase in population and the advancement of our aging society, caregiving is increasingly known as a vital role in preparation for Malaysia’s rapidly growing aged community and its contribution to the economy,” she said.
Meanwhile, Shahelmey said this Geriatric Caregiver Program has a huge potential in developing the state and country’s economy with the rising ageing population in Malaysia. Equipped with professionally trained caregivers, this aged care industry will continuously grow and develop into one of the leading industries in Malaysia and the World.
“Our aim is to launch a new caregiver industry in Malaysia by Malaysians. We are working closely with Penjana HRDF and Kementerian Sumber Manusia to make this a reality. These 200 participants will be the pioneers of this industry when it is launched in the first quarter of 2021. Currently the caregivers in Malaysia are monopolized by foreigners and we believe that the launch of this new industry will bring awareness to Malaysians to embrace the career of caregiving” said Aylwin Santiago.
All the participants recorded their heartfelt gratitude in a special video to Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, Minister of Human Resources Dato Saravanan and Penjana HRDF for providing this opportunity for the B40 community to learn new and important skills as well as the privilege to earn a better living and improvement in quality of life.
The participants were trained on the nature of caregiving which begins in the way a parent cares for their child. The essential areas focused on this caregiving training are: Assistance with daily living activities, Elders Safety,
Environmental hygiene, Caregiving professionally for an ageing parent, children and adults with special needs.
This Geriatric Caregiver Training program is only the beginning of a series of caregiving courses to be provided by FabNest Sdn Bhd.
“Our Vision is to develop Sabah into a Hub for training and developing healthcare manpower under FabNest Borneo Sdn Bhd,” said Aylwin.