Calvary Central Districts Hospital at Elizabeth Vale has partnered with a Civil Train SA – South Australia’s largest privately operated training organisation – to play a vital role in helping give crucial on-site civil construction training to a group of woman who have been unable to find employment or who have struggled to keep a job.

A group of 14 women are nearing the end of a six-week course where they receive both classroom-based and hands-on training in areas including landscaping, paving, retaining walls, general garden maintenance, civil construction projects, first aid, plant operation and work zone traffic management.

It is the second group – but first “female only” course – that has participated in the unique jobs program at the hospital.

“The very foundation of our hospital is to serve the community – and participating in this unique jobs training program is a rewarding extension of that,” Calvary Central Districts Hospital Chief Executive Officer, Ms Elena McShane, said today.

“The initiative is really going from strength to strength – and the results have been outstanding with the majority of people who complete the course finding a job with the skills they have learned,” she said.

“Just as importantly, you can see a real sense of pride and achievement in these people as they learn new skills, complete some amazing civil construction projects, and their confidence grows.

“For many of them, it’s the first time they’ve had consistent, onsite, hands-on, practical training, let alone the interest and commitment to see something out to its completion.

The program is funded by the SA Government’s Regional Employment Program Skills for Jobs in Regions and the State Government’s Work Ready initiative with accredited training provided by Civil Train SA, the training arm of the Civil Contractors Federation of Australia (SA branch), one of the state’s leading industry lobby groups – under a partnership with hospital.