Taiwan is becoming a super-aged society. According to the National Development Council, the number of senior citizens above 65 accounts for nearly 16.8-percent of the island’s population this year.
Seeing a potential increase in the demand for caretakers, the Taipei City Vocational Development Institute (VDI) began organizing the “Test-and-evaluate” caretaker exam and certification program since 2018, for those interested in this field. It is possible for students to complete the exam and acquire the certification on the same day. Labor Commissioner Chen Hsin-yu noted that the program first session for 2021 will accept applications starting January 25. The maximum number of students accepted to the program is limited to 120.
Chen pointed out that interest in the program has spiked in recent years. During the first year of the program, VDI only offered 2 sessions per year. While the program took in 179 students in 2018, the turnout skyrocketed in 2019 with 427 people registering for classes, forcing the agency to hold 4 sessions that year. In 2020, the number of students signing up for the program reached 487.
The commissioner reminds the public that the registration deadline is January 29. Applications are accepted between 8:30 AM to 11:30 AM in the morning, and from 1:30 PM to 4:30 PM in the afternoon. The caretaker exam and issuing of certification will take place on March 17. Those who missed the deadline can sign up for the second session when registration begins on April 12.
The exam is expected to take an entire day. Those who pass the exam can pay their NT$160 certification fee at the test site and receive their certificate on the same day.
To register for the class, please purchase the NT$50 admission pamphlet at either VDI or any convenience store. Submit the completed application form, along with the required documents and pay the registration fee, at the “Instant Test-and-evaluate and Certification Center” located on the fourth floor of the VDI building. For more information, please visit the Chinese website of VDI: https://www.tvdi.gov.taipei/職能評量/技能檢定
