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The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander rural and remote aged care training project – BJ’s Story

15 February 2013
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Branton Keys (or BJ as he is known) is a 23 year old Aboriginal man from Yarrabah, Far North Queensland who was recently featured in the Closing the Gap Prime Minister’s report 2013.

Branton Keys (or BJ as he is known) is a 23 year old Aboriginal man from Yarrabah, Far North Queensland who was recently featured in the Closing the Gap Prime Minister’s report 2013.

Two years ago BJ wasn’t working and wasn’t sure what he wanted to do with his life.

BJ’s cousins were working at the Yarrabah Aged Person’s Hostel, so he started doing some volunteer work there, and also attended some of the in-service training available.

BJ found he really liked working with the older people. When he was offered an Aged Care worker position through the National Jobs Creation Program in March 2011, he accepted and became a willing and enthusiastic participant.

When BJ first started working at the Aged Person’s Hostel, he wasn’t thinking of a career – he simply liked looking after the older people.

However, as a reward of his passion and hard work, the Tropical North Queensland Institute of TAFE offered him training under the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Rural and Remote Aged Care Training Project (funded by the Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing).

The training is culturally appropriate, accredited and targeted to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander aged care workers in eligible communities in rural and remote regions of Queensland, Western Australia and South Australia.

As a result of the training project, BJ realised that he wanted to “get qualified” as he recognised this would give him a pathway towards developing a career in aged care.

BJ enrolled in the Certificate III in Aged Care as well as the Medication Skill Set course.  He was a keen and committed student, and worked hard to gain the skills and knowledge he needed to become a qualified Aged Care Worker.

BJ said  that achieving the Certificate III in Aged Care and completing the Medication Skill Set course has made him very proud of himself.

BJ plans to continue his training and is now in the process of completing the Certificate III in Home and Community Care.

Find out more

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Rural and Remote Aged Care Training Project aims to build capacity and sustainability in the aged care workforce, and is funded by the Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing).

The National Jobs Creation Program (NJCP) is supported by the Australian Government Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR) and the Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs. (FaHCSIA)