Australia’s ‘care economy’ will drive the nation’s jobs growth over the next decade – making the need for effective Vocational Education and Training essential to create a future job-ready workforce.
In fact, Australia needs to find and train more than 250,000 people by 2025 to meet the escalating demand in industries such as aged care, early childhood and education, disability, and veteran services.
In celebrating and promoting National Skills Week, The Human Services Skills Organisation CEO Jodi Schmidt said it was important to celebrate the skills-based jobs which underpinned the Australian economy.
“A skilled human services workforce is critical to Australia’s future,” she said.
“Attracting and skilling workers in this sector is vital to meet the enormous jobs demand ahead. HSSO is proud to be a sponsor and participant in this year’s National Skills Week to celebrate and showcase the depth of skills required for this line of work.”
National Skills Week, which runs from August 22 to 28, will encourage Australians to discover careers, pathways and opportunities in vocational education they may not have considered as well as learn about emerging industries and technology.
During National Skills Week the HSSO will participate in a number of podcasts on topics such as defining human services, recruiting younger people into Australia’s most valuable professions and recognition of prior learning, as well as participation in the week’s “Skills and Thrills” webinar.
Jodi said the HSSO was committed to actively promoting and building the skills of the human services sector given the enormous growth in jobs over the next decade.
“We need to increase the recognition and value attributed to our sector. National Skills Week is a great platform to do this,” she said.
Human Services is a rapidly growing group of industries whereby humans are needed to provide care for other humans. The sector has nearly double the projected growth rate of any other industry in the Australian economy, employing more than 1.9 million people.
National Skills Week is designed to inspire Australians to consider the myriad of rewarding and worthwhile careers that can be pursued through Vocational Education and Training (VET).
Ms Schmidt said the HSSO was working with the industries it represents, and the employers and Registered Training Organisation’s within them, to find solutions to meet Australia’s future workforce needs.
“With human services roles becoming more demanding, changing skills needs and a focus on the quality of care provided, the need for vocational education, and the skilled workers it produces, has never been greater,” she said.
