Mr Dickson Ncube has over 20 years of experience in health training and education.
Here, he answers the most common questions about becoming a Health Promotion Officer.
Become a health promotion officer. Apply here.
1. What Does A Health Promotion Officer Actually Do Every Day?
A Health Promotion Officer’s duty is to help patients prevent disease. An HPO is a Disease Prevention Officer. They educate people about the various diseases, both transmissible and non-transmissible, their causes, how to prevent them, and how to treat and manage them.
The Health Promotion Officer also identifies and treats minor illnesses and refers patients to specialists in clinics or hospitals.
2. Why Is QTCO Accreditation So Important For A Health Promotion Course?
The QCTO accreditation is very important for a health promotion course. It ensures that the college offering that training uses qualified, knowledgeable facilitators to train students to become the right quality of graduates who can deliver high-quality health promotion services to their patients.
Accreditation also ensures that no fly-by-night colleges cheat people out of their hard-earned money by offering them non-recognisable qualifications.
3. Who Can Apply For The Course? Do I Need Matric?
A Matric certificate is required when applying for the Health Promotion Officer course, except in exceptional cases where the applicant has many years of experience in the health sector. Or if the applicant is proficient in the English Language and has basic Mathematical calculations.
4. How Long Does It Take To Finish The Training?
The Health Promotion Officer course takes one full year to complete.
5. What Topics Will I Study In The Course?
Topics covered in the Health Promotion Officer course, among others, include the following:
✍️ Communicable and Non-Communicable Diseases
✍️ Maternal and Child Health
✍️ Health and Wellness
✍️ Physiology and Anatomy
✍️ Social Determinants of Health
✍️ Culture and Health
✍️ Structure of the South African Health Services
✍️ Mental Health and Mental Illnesses
✍️ Home-Based Health Care Giving
✍️Drug and Substance Counselling
6. Why Should I Choose A Private College Over A University?
A private college doesn’t have big numbers of students in one class as compared to a university. This makes the teacher attend to each learner. This assists even slow learners.
7. What Is The Starting Salary For A Health Promotion Officer?
Salaries for Health Promotion Officers differ depending on where the Health Promotion Officer is employed. The general range is 15-21 thousand rands per month if you’ve got more experience.
8. How Can I Pay For The Course If I Don’t Have Much Money?
At Interact Health Education and Training College, our HPO course fees are very flexible. We ask the student to give us their payment plan and state how they want to structure their payment process. So everyone is accommodated.
9. Where Do Graduates Usually Find Jobs After Finishing
After completing the Health Promotion Officer Course, our graduates are absorbed by both private and government clinics and other organisations that deal with health issues.
10. Why Is Practical Training Included In The Course?
Practical training involves workplace attachment. It’s important as it equips the student with the real-life experience of working with patients in clinics. By the time the student graduates, they’ll be ready for the job market.
11. Who Will Supervise Me During My Work Placement?
The Clinic staff, as well as the College staff, will supervise the student during the practical attachment period.
12. What Makes Interact Health Different From Other Colleges?
Interact Health Education and Training College is different from other Colleges in the following aspects:
✅ Their training facilities are very spacious, with air conditioning equipment and good quality furniture.
✅ Our facilitators are qualified and very professional.
✅ Our facilitation approach and pace are appealing to students and are done with passion.
✅ Most of our graduates get a placement after graduating. The college has some arrangements with certain clinics to absorb our graduates after graduation.
✅ Additionally, Interact offers professional student counselling sessions as part of our support throughout training and well after graduation, if required.
13. How Do I Know If A Training Provider Is Trustworthy?
To know if a training provider/SDP is trustworthy, it’s important to check their website and reviews from former students. Also, check with QCTO if the College is accredited or not. Another way is to physically visit the college premises and ask for all relevant registration documents, and also see the set-up at the college.
For example, you can check with the Ekurhuleni Government Department of Health about Interact Health Education and Training College. We have a contract ( SLA-Service Level Agreement) with them to send our students on practical workplace attachment to their clinics.
14. Why Should I Start My Training Now Instead Of Waiting After Matric?
You can start your training now because the Health Promotion Officer qualification is an occupational qualification. It empowers you with the necessary knowledge, attitude and skills for the Health sector.
15 . What Is the Next Step If I Want To Enroll or Learn More?
Apply now and access our enrolment form or WhatsApp 0787986158 for more information. Or visit us at 236 Victoria Street, Georgetown, Germiston.
