The Wamakersvallei Training Centre came into existence on 9 May 1998. It concentrates on the development of skills and training in areas where there are shortages of trained people. Courses are: Care for the Elderly, Toddler Care AND baby Care.
The focal point is work creation and work provision and students will also be exposed to practical situations in their two months? study.
± Altogether 2 000 students have already received training and 88% of them were successfully placed in jobs. Students who want to be admitted should at least have completed grade 6 and must be 21 years of age.
During the Toddler Care Course attention is given to toddler care, child development, music, movement and literature. Baby Care involves subjects like general baby care, baby first aid, baby stimulation, as well as how to start your own baby care business.
Students who successfully complete the Baby- or Child Care Course are equipped to work as assistants at pre-schools or child care homes, as well as privately. They can even care for a few small children and thus generate an own income.
The course, Care for the Elderly, gives attention to the ethics of nursing, general bed care, planning of meals and the preparation of special diets, physio- and occupational therapist, etc. These students can care for frail and disabled people in their own environments and can also work in care centres, hospitals en homes for the aged.
Courses take eight weeks to complete. During the first week attention is given to personal finishing of (positive self-image, hygiene, etiquette, etc.). Week two deals with general house management, i.e. washing and ironing, removal of stains, food preparation and garnishing, flower arrangement, etc. The next five weeks are spent on specific skills of the specific course, and students are then placed with specific companies for intensive training during their last two weeks.
Our center does not receive any financial aid at this stage. We present these courses at a cost of R450 per student and for this we make use of professional people to present lessons.
Below is a list of skills that students in toddler care acquire during training. With this education they could be appointed to the following positions:
Home-carer for a school, house or small class, assistant at a care centre, pre-primary school, junior child-carer for a care-centre, child- carer for a family with small children, like an au pair, play group teacher or care-teacher.
Modules studied in regard to the child from baby to pre-school are:
organisation and planning, day planning, child-care, security and first aid, playing music and singing songs, movement development, creative activities, creation of teaching aids.
The home-care students learn the following: The most popular course is home-care, the future of the care of the elderly, therefore more job opportunities.
VISION, MISSION AND AIMS
VISION
Wamakersvallei Training Centre offers relevant, market orientated training to unemployed South Africans who only have limited skills. Furthermore, we aspire to get more South Africans involved with the empowerment of developing communities.
MISSION
To supply effective training by means of:
The identification of unemployed, unskilled people, the determining of available job opportunities, the introduction of skills training to supply in the demand, the promotion of community involvement in regard to making skills and funds available.
AIMS
To conduct a marketing campaign through which the Wamakersvallei Training Centre can be made known to the community and potential students be recruited. To conduct ongoing market research. To design, implement and evaluate relevant courses. To identify suitable, skillful people in the community who can act as leaders.