Ahead of National Skills Week (22-28 August), experts are calling on those interested in a career in healthcare, as it’s predicted that by 2025 an extra 250,000 health and social assistance workers will be needed.
According to National Skills Week Chairman, Brian Wexham, health, social assistance and childcare services are in high demand.
“Health care and social assistance is Australia’s largest employer with over 1.8 million workers, which sounds like a high base. With the number of people aged 65 years and over projected to nearly double from 3.8 million in 2017 to more like 6.5 million in 2042, however, it’s clear we will need many more such workers. Medical advances mean the skillset required will also increase,” Mr Wexham said.
“It’s estimated that an additional 16,000 new childcare workers will also be needed if demand for these services is to be met. Australia’s birth rate is at a record low, but workforce participation by women is at a record high and government policies have shifted with the aim of making childcare more accessible and affordable,” he said.
According to Human Services Skills Organisation (HSSO) CEO, Jodi Schmidt, it’s important to understand and celebrate the human services skills-based jobs, which underpinned the Australian economy.
“A skilled human services workforce is critical to Australia’s future,” Ms Schmidt said.
“Attracting and skilling workers in this sector is critically important to meet the enormous jobs demand ahead. The HSSO is really proud to be a sponsor and participant in this year’s National Skills Week to celebrate, support and showcase the depth of skills required for this important and deeply satisfying line of work.”
National Skills Week
Now in its 12th year, National Skills Week invites Australians to explore the skills training on offer through vocational education and training.
A key objective of National Skills Week is to identify and highlight industries with the most in-demand jobs of the future, as well as sectors forecast to see the biggest growth in coming years, to ensure Australians can gain the training and education they need to secure those jobs and maintain stable long-term employment.
Mr Wexham says it’s critical that school leavers, job seekers, parents and career changers are informed of what the jobs of the future are, and what Australia’s most critical skills shortages and job needs are.
“This will ensure our young people, yet to start careers, can gain training and skills in education which is going to secure them a job at the end of that training,” he said.
“Further, it will assist in funnelling Australia’s labour market into the training opportunities which are most likely going to lead to their employment ie the most in-demand jobs of the future.”
This year’s Week will be centred around the theme of ‘A Universe of Skills’ encouraging people to go beyond their imagination to discover careers, pathways and opportunities in skills and Vocational Education that they may not know about, thought about or even imagined.
“National Skills Week plays a pivotal role in strengthening and communicating the key messages of industry and government in an environment shaped by the fluid nature of skills requirements and ever-evolving technologies,” said Mr Wexham.
“This initiative is designed to achieve real, transformative outcomes for Australian people – to inspire people to undertake active, participative education and training that VET provides resulting in skills that can realise immediate rewards in jobs, success and contribute to building our economy.”
