Growing our team in regional
NSW through PALMs
11th July 2024 | 4 min read
Opal HealthCare proudly partners with the Pacific Australia Labour Mobility (PALM) scheme to welcome passionate team members to our regional Care Communities. This Australian Government-supported program enables skilled people from nations like Fiji and Timor-Leste to develop their careers in Australia’s aged care sector. It is a wonderful way to bring compassionate care to our residents while providing our new team members with valuable skills, qualifications, and opportunities to support their families back home.
What is the PALM scheme in aged care?
The PALM scheme is a program supported by the Department of Foreign Affairs that connects Australian employers with skilled and enthusiastic team members from Pacific nations. For aged care, it helps bring people with a passion for caring to regional communities. In turn, participants gain a formal qualification, such as a Certificate III in Individual Support, to advance their careers.
Older Australians and regional communities benefit from the values of compassionate care these team members bring, while the scheme also enables them to earn a qualification that will help them progress their career in Australia, and at home.
How does the program support our regional communities?
Finding dedicated people to join aged care teams can be a challenge in regional Australia. The PALM scheme helps us build capable and compassionate teams where they're needed most. Our first group of 22 PALM team members has brought immense warmth and professionalism to our Care Communities in the NSW Central West (Orange Grove), South Coast (Denhams Beach), and Central Coast (Kanwal Gardens, Killarney Vale, Norah Head, and Wallarah Point).
Today, with the support of our training partner Essential Skills, these team members graduated as Care Support Officers, with a Certificate III in Individual Support, at a ceremony where they were cheered on by proud family, residents, and fellow Care Community team members, and leaders.
"The PALM scheme has been a wonderful way to introduce the passion, care and humility of the Fijian culture into our Care Communities," said Michael Britt, Regional General Manager NSW North.
"Recruiting team members into any rural or regional Care Community can be challenging, and our graduates have brought so much warmth, professionalism and care to our residents."
And while it was difficult for many of our graduates to leave home and travel to Australia, the experience has been thoroughly rewarding.
"This program has given us a great opportunity to work in aged care and gain a qualification," said graduate Shanu. "It's been wonderful".
Congratulations to our graduates!
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