Training for Good - November 2023: Ace your training, study sessions, learner support and more

Ace your training programme - Block out study time
Diabetes Action Month, 1 - 30 November 2023
Learner progresses from Level 2 to Level 5 and helps build better habits and transforms lives
Win a $50 grocery voucher and a copy of 'Every Day's A Good Day'
Study sessions to help you progress your learning
Support for Pasifika and Māori learners
Keep up your studies, earn the credits, be successful
Your wellbeing is important to us - Take the survey
Careerforce websites are now more accessible
Deaf learner overcomes challenges to pursue her goals

The ‘Pomodoro Method' is a recognised and approved study technique. This originated with an Italian educational psychologist in the 1980’s who timed tasks using a tomato shaped kitchen timer (pomodoro being the Italian word for tomato) in order to test how intervals improve focus.

The research found that our brain tends to wander after around half-an-hour of attention on a given task. The Pomodoro Method takes advantage of this by setting 25-minute study intervals, with a 5-minute break in between.

Try the Pomodoro Method by doing the following:

Break up your task into small chunks
Set a goal that can be accomplished in 25 minutes
Set a timer for 25-minutes, and focus 100% working on your task
Then take a 5-minute break away from your study
Repeat this four times if you have not already finished your task and then take a longer break of 15 – 30 minutes.

This means you will be getting the best of both worlds – it’s short and painless, and your brain will thank you for it.

She has been able to use models of behaviour change to enhance her practice.

Kimi’s entry to the health and wellbeing sector began as a community support worker in a residential home just a few years ago. Initially with zero health care skills or qualifications, Kimi kicked off her learning journey with a Health and Wellbeing Level 2 qualification.
This was soon followed by the Level 3 qualification, and then the Level 4 Apprenticeship in Disability Support with Careerforce, a business division of Te Pūkenga. All have been achieved via on-the-job training, allowing Kimi to ‘earn and learn.’

“I was looking for something new to learn after the apprenticeship, when I heard about the Level 5 Diploma in Health and Wellbeing Applied Practice. I’m quite passionate about learning and so I wanted to learn more. I was motivated to keep moving up the ladder, so I jumped straight on it.”

In this book, William not only shares his story of beating the odds, but he explains how he continues to find joy and inspiration from life and how every day really is a good day.

Simply answer three questions by 8 December 2023 to go into the draw to win 1 of 3 copies of the book and a grocery voucher. Follow the link below to enter the quiz.

We'll contact the winners via email, so don't forget to provide your email address at the end of the quiz.

Enter Quiz:

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/T4GNov2023

Here's a chance to chat with Careerforce advisors, meet with your fellow learners, and get some help to progress your programme. We're running increasing numbers of face to face sessions across the country to help support you with your learning. Follow the link to see the full list.

Just drop in either for the whole time or for as long as you are able. We're happy to support you.

We know that learners benefit from the opportunity for face to face engagement, and we've had great feedback from the sessions to date. We have also advised employers about these sessions.

Last week we sent Careerforce learners a short wellbeing survey on behalf of
Te Pūkenga’s Learner Journey and Experience team. The survey aims to monitor learner wellbeing across the country and is completely anonymous so no-one will be able to link your responses to yourself.

Thank you to those who have already completed the survey

If you haven’t yet, there is still time. Complete the survey before 12 noon Friday 24 November 2023, you can enter a prize draw to win a Digital Prize Pack valued at approximately $3032.00 by clicking on a separate link to the prize draw form.

The prize pack contains containing an HP 15.6in Laptop, Targus Cypress 15.6" Hero Backpack, Logitech G703 Lightspeed Gaming Mouse, and Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless Headphones.

To start the survey, please click on the link below.
Learner Wellbeing Survey Two 2023

As part of this ongoing work, we have now introduced the UserWay Accessibility widget on the Aka Toi Learning and Assessment platform. This widget has a range of tools to help better support our users with digital accessibility needs. The functionality includes easily increasing font sizes, activating dyslexia friendly fonts, adding contrast to the page and more!

You will find this widget on the middle right-hand side of all Aka Toi pages. To access this, click on the icon shown above in Aka Toi and see what the tool can provide.

We have also added the icon to our main Careerforce website as well. You’ll find the widget on the right hand side of the screen on all pages. Simply click on the icon to see what the tool can provide.

Whangārei caregiver, Santana Ngawharau has overcome communication barriers to succeed.

Santana carries out housekeeping and laundry duties at Metlifecare’s Whangarei Park retirement village. Born profoundly Deaf, Santana’s first language is New Zealand Sign Language (NZSL) and not English. Despite not having other people in her workplace who are fluent in New Zealand Sign Language, Santana navigates communication using a combination of lip reading and NZSL which she shares with others around her.

With her own determination and support from her employer, Santana has completed her New Zealand Certificate in Cleaning (Level 2) with Careerforce | Te Pūkenga. She has now enrolled in the Certificate in Cleaning (Level 3) Contagion and Specialised Infection Control programme, also with Careerforce, and also completed via on-job training.

“I enjoy the cleaning responsibilities, as well as building relationships with the residents,” says Santana. “I really enjoy conversing with each of the residents when I’m collecting their laundry, teaching them sign language and supporting them during mealtimes.”

Claire Wolmarans, a Metlifecare workplace assessor says, “I feel honoured to have been able to work with Santana. She really is amazing.”.

“When it came to Santana doing her first assessments, I thought it might be difficult for her, but it wasn’t at all. She was so keen, and it became a great learning for both of us.”

It's important that we hold up to date contact information in order for us to connect and provide updates on your training progress. If you have recently changed home address, contact number or email address, then please let us know by submitting an email
to info@careerforce.org.nz

If you are leaving your employment or wish to withdraw from your training, then
please let us know by completing the “Training Agreement Termination” online submission form which can be found on the Careerforce website here

Tip: We suggest you check that all completed work has been assessed and reported by your assessor before requesting your training to be withdrawn. You can do this through iportal if you are a registered user or contact us on 0800 277 486.