Masonic Homes has been recognised for its successful learning culture by the South Australian Health & Community Services Industry Skills Board.
The Adelaide-based aged care provider, which operates in South Australia and the Northern Territory, was awarded the prize in the inaugural ‘Human Services at Work 2008 Awards for Excellence in Workforce Development’.
The ‘Creating a Learning Culture Award’ was sponsored by the Workforce Development Directorate of the state Department of Further Education, Employment, Science and Technology (DFEEST) and TAFE SA.
“I am delighted that we have been recognised for the commitment that so many in our organisation have made to undertake the wide range of training activities and initiatives available to our staff,” said Masonic Homes CEO, Doug Strain.
Mr Strain paid credit to the Masonic’s Executive Manager of Organisational Development, Patricia Harris and Liz Panayi who have guided shaped the development of the organisation’s training programs.
“With access to Federal Government funding programs, we have been able to support a large number of staff through Certificate III Aged Care and HACC courses, Certificate IV Service Coordination, and the Diploma of Nursing,” said Mr Strain.
“We have further been able to support a number of employees with language and literacy support needs via the WELL Program, extending their ‘learning to learn’ skills,” he said.
Masonic Homes has also been offering free computer skills training programs to staff through a network of in-house ‘computer-kiosks’ at the organisation’s offices and five seniors living communities in Adelaide and Darwin.
“The results have been highly effective in terms of improving skills and enabling us to introduce online workplace practices, with a corresponding decrease in time-intensive administrative procedures,” he said.
