Touchdown for our PALM Scheme class of 2024!

First published: March 2025

On Tuesday 4th March our PALM Scheme Class of 2024 arrived in Melbourne, Victoria, marking the start of their four year journey in Australia, making a difference in residential aged care homes in Mildura and Port Macquarie for Regis Aged Care.

Under the Pacific Australia Labour Mobility (PALM) Scheme, 40 participants from Fiji were recruited and hired to provide aged care services to the elderly population of Australia. After undergoing education and training with our Registered Training Organisation partner Alphacrucis University College, they obtained a Certificate III in Individual Support (Ageing) through an 18 week course, followed by four weeks of practical assessments in Harts Nursing Home and Fathers Law Home in Fiji.

Welcoming our PALM team to Melbourne

Waiting at the airport to meet them was six of our team members across Pulse Staffing Australia and Sanctuary Recruitment, part of Acacium Group, ready to transport them to their accommodation for the next few days whilst they enjoyed the sights of the city and had inductions with the Regis team. We were delighted to see all of their smiling faces, ready to make them feel as comfortable as possible after their flights.

Orientations of Melbourne included day and night tours, followed by a trip up the Melbourne Skydeck to enjoy the sunset over the city. Our cohort parted ways on Friday 14th March, as 30 travelled up to Mildura, and 10 to Port Macquarie, excited to see their new homes and meet their colleagues they will be working with, caring for the elderly population of Australia.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Arriving in Mildura and Port Macquarie

The next four days entailed a mixture of finalising documents and getting to know the surroundings. Mildura enjoyed:

• A boat trip on the Murray River with Mildura Paddle Steamers
• A Veisiko with the Fijian Community Association
• Church services
• Day and night tours of Mildura town centres
• Getting featured on the front page of the Sunraysia Daily!

The Port Macquarie team explored:

• The Burrawan State Forest
• The Big Koala
• Tacking Point Lighthouse and Lighthouse Beach

and experienced their first church service together down under!

First day at Regis Aged Care

Starting on Tuesday 11th and Wednesday 12th March, the Port Macquarie and Mildura teams, respectively, went to their workplaces for the first time for inductions and to meet their Regis colleagues. A monumental day for everyone involved, we proudly saw our teams begin on their aged care career journey in Australia, developing vital skills and knowledge that they can take back with them to Fiji to service the elderly population in their home country.

This project continues to be a heart warming and life changing time for everyone involved, and we feel extremely lucky to be a part of such an amazing journey, and look forward to partnering with other aged care providers for the PALM Scheme in years to come.