QQI Healthcare Support Major in only 9 Months

Meet Aishling Byrne who told us about her experience training as a carer with Private HomeCare. It took Aishling only 9 months to complete all modules and qualify for her QQI Healthcare Support Major Award. And she received distinctions in everything! Before joining Private HomeCare, Aishling had personal experience caring for her sister, who has cerebral palsy but Aishling did not have professional care experience.

“Initially I was nervous, but once I got started with the assignments and skills demonstrations, I thought this was definitely for me. I started with the Palliative Care module and continued on with more modules, back to back. Covid 19 meant that all theory training was moved online and Private HomeCare swapped my work shifts to accommodate training.

I got on with everyone in the training department so well. Anna and Linda, two members of the team were great motivators and will always guide you in the right direction.”

Whilst Aishling completed her modules in 9 months, carers can take as long as they need (but must complete within 5 years of starting their first module) to complete their training.

Private HomeCare support carers so that they can complete their training at the pace that best suits their busy life and work schedule. But how did Aishling find the modules?

“I liked the assignments and really enjoyed doing them. I also really liked the skills demos and being able to meet the other carers on each module who were also training. I developed many friendships.

If it were not for Private HomeCare, I never would have thought of pursuing a career as a carer. People think you have to go to college first for a year or year and a half but Private HomeCare gives you the opportunity to work and do your course at the same time.

You can work with clients and continue your learning. Caring and studying for care opens so many options. The team is great at giving you paths and advising what modules you should do. Through talking to them, I discovered I could work with kids and maternity hospitals, which led me to take another QQI level 5 module “Maternity Support”.

With all the courses I have completed, I am now qualified to work in maternity hospitals, and could go into DCU to do midwifery if I chose to. If I complete another 3 modules I will get another Major in Nursing Studies. I hadn’t considered any of these opportunities at the beginning, but after taking care of my sister I said to myself I would love to look into this.

From the minute I spoke to Patsy, Private HomeCare’s Recruitment Manager, in the interview and got my first client, I just loved it.”

Private HomeCare supports carers in all their learning, whether they choose to do just the necessary training to be able to work as a carer, through to those like Aishling who want to get as far as they can.

If you are interested in taking part in one of our training courses, click here.