We need more skilled personnel
Land van Horne , a care organization for the elderly and those in need of assistance, has been turning to Summa for years for the retraining and upskilling of its employees. Maryse Hekers works with great dedication at Land van Horne’s training agency. “Due to the high demand for care and the growing care gap, we need more skilled care staff. To promote career progression, we offer our employees customized training programs.”
Maryse and Anita van Nieuwenhoven (training advisor) organize and coordinate the training for care assistants within Land van Horne. "We started this program because we needed (and still need) highly skilled care professionals. We had a large number of care assistants and a shortage of care assistants. We saw an opportunity there. In collaboration with Summa, our care assistants are given the opportunity to receive further training to become care assistants. This gives them a broader range of skills and promotes career progression within the organization. Most employees join us as care assistants and, if they enjoy it, develop from there."
The training takes six months, which Maryse says lowers the barrier for employees. "We're talking about employees between 30 and 60 years old. They no longer want to spend two years in training, but they do enjoy continuing their careers. During this program, they earn two certifiable units in six months, derived from the Care and Welfare Assistant program (level 2). This was a deliberate choice because it also has a well-being component, which Land van Horne values highly."
Successfully pioneering with customization
“We pioneered this program and were often asked to give national presentations about our approach and collaboration with Summa. We were one of the first to work this way, and it was a huge success: everyone was enthusiastic and wanted to participate. Many employees even want to continue learning after the training with the Helpende Plus program . We are an organization with many opportunities for career advancement. We consider this very important in the context of job satisfaction.”
Maryse is energized by the staff's enthusiasm. "On the first day, I saw they were nervous about going back to school, but the teachers immediately alleviated their concerns; kudos to Summa. The teachers are incredibly enthusiastic and immediately put our staff at ease. It's a friendly atmosphere right from the start, and communication is short, which works really well for me. We consult frequently and complement each other well."
Further education at a later age
Lizet (58) completed the training and has now been working as a care assistant for a year. “Two years ago, I applied to the Hieronymus care center, part of Land van Horne, and was accepted on the basis that I would follow the customized care assistant program. I found that quite a challenge. At my age, you don't go to school as often anymore, but it was very different from the past, and the classes were held in a pleasant setting. There was a good balance between theory and practice, and we all learned a lot from each other. Our instructors also shared a lot about their own experiences in healthcare, which you can then apply in your daily practice.”
Lizet looks back on the course with great pride. “I would do it again in a heartbeat! You learn so much; from putting on support stockings and washing to observing and performing CPR. I looked forward to every lesson and, at my age, never expected I would still be learning. The twelve lessons flew by, and after six months, I received my certificate, which I'm very proud of, just like my work. Because ultimately, it's the clients that you do it for.”