KIIDU'S FOUNDATIONAL TRAINING PROGRAMMS UPSKILL AND EMPOWER JOB SEEKERS
Kiidu is more than a caregiver-matching platform. After the company was born, founder and CEO Alfiah Strohal took note of the educational gap in the care industry, also seeing an opportunity to upskill job candidates, improve their career outlook, and educate them about the company culture.
Without knowledge of their legal rights, or a proper employment contract, many caregivers are left at a disadvantage in the event of a workplace conflict. We educate our caregivers about their rights with their employers and introduce them to the employment contract with the employer in the workplace,” shares Alfiah.
The legal rights and policy training also introduces them to foundational knowledge in terms of caregiver etiquette.
“Everyone should understand that they need to follow our rules and regulations when they want to be part of Kiidu’s family; we educate them about our culture and standards and offer a set of guidelines and requirements for our nannies, maids, and caregivers to add to their value. It is based on the principles of our company Kiidu,” Alfiah adds.
For the skills training, Kiidu offers five basic two-hour courses on a weekly basis for job seekers at no cost with class sizes limited to 20 participants at a time. During pandemic times, all training has been moved online for the safety of all participants.
“We understand that skills are very important for the nannies and maids because competence is defined as the ability to carry out their tasks and duties, which will help make the family life easier. Additionally, skills are fundamental principles for their rights at work,” Alfiah elaborates.
Kiidu defines the skills training according job type, with five categories of Basic Training offered: Nanny-Newborn (children 0-1 years), Nanny-Maid (children 1+ years combined with maid/housekeeping activities), Nanny-Tutor (with a focus on child psychology and child activities), Maid-only, and Senior Caregiver, to boost their knowledge on the basic principles and duties of elderly care.
Additionally, as a member of the Women’s Empowerment Principles (WEPs) network, launched by UN Women and the UN Global Compact, Kiidu’s training supports Principles #4 and #5 of the WEPs, which encompass education and training for career advancement and enterprise and supply-chain development.
Tanita Andres, HR executive & head trainer at Kiidu, says, “Training is our way of showing that we care about our caregivers and the industry as a whole. The trainees can choose which skills courses they want to take. Most caregivers choose courses that align with positions they’re seeking. But they are free to take other courses, and to attend as many times as they want, until they feel comfortable with the material.” Tanita, who graduated with a bachelor's degree in liberal arts from Thammasat University, has been trained in childcare for newborns to 6 years old and in the new ways of house cleaning with emphasis on avoiding the use of harmful chemicals and the use of natural products.
“I personally value the family institution because every member of the household is very important to a family, and therefore I would like to be a part of having the opportunity to produce quality personnel to help families take care of the loved ones of the family,” she concludes.
Kiidu’s Weekly Foundational Training Courses
Policy and Legal Rights Training: Training on company rules; the rights of the employee and the employer under the contract between the employer and the employee.
Maid-Only Basic Training: Housekeepers will train on general knowledge in cleaning the bedroom, living room, kitchen and kitchen equipment and cleaning the bathroom. This includes training on responsibilities, posture, adaptation, manners, respect for employers and the basic Policy and Legal Rights Training.
Nanny-Newborn Basic Training (children 0-1 years): Training will be on general knowledge of child care, bathing, eye wiping, navel cleaning, oral cleaning for newborns, washing milk bottles, sterilizing baby bottles and swaddling/holding a child to stop their crying. This includes training on responsibility, posture, adaptation, manners, respect for employers and the basic Policy and Legal Rights Training.
Nanny-Maid Basic Training (children 1+ years): Training on general knowledge in child care, bathing, training children to go to bed on time, fundamentals of knowledge about play that help in child development, basic knowledge of child nutrition, child accidents and basic knowledge of first aid and helping to encourage children to study online effectively. This includes training on responsibility, posture, adaptation, manners, respect for employers and the basic Policy and Legal Rights Training.
Nanny-Tutor Basic Training: Same as Nanny-Maid, but with a focus on child psychology and child activities. This includes training on responsibility, posture, adaptation, manners, respect for employers and the basic Policy and Legal Rights Training.
Senior Caregiver Basic Training: Elderly caregivers will train on general knowledge and duties of caring for the elderly including food prep, general personal hygiene, mattress and room hygiene, support for changing positions and turning the patient in bed, doing arm and leg movements, elderly massage, basic physical therapy, preparing medicine, foundational knowledge in senior nutrition, and light housework (medical procedure training is not covered). This includes training on responsibility, posture, adaptation, manners, respect for employers and the basic Policy and Legal Rights Training.