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An innovative study focused on finding practical solutions to tackle current workforce challenges in the care sector has reached a significant milestone with the completion of the first phase of the Empowering the Care Workforce pilot.
Researchers from the Australian Catholic University (ACU) in collaboration with the National Care Workforce Alliance (NaCWA), have successfully delivered the Queensland-based pilot, funded by Jobs Queensland through a Queensland Care Consortium grant awarded to NaCWA in September 2023.
The project focused on building processes and systems to increase attraction to the sector, improve worker mobility and reduce underemployment; as well as improving onboarding training and reducing duplication between organisations.
Professor Laurie Buys from ACU said the funding from Jobs Queensland kickstarted NaCWA’s journey and is supporting the Alliance’s collective aim to drive positive change and ensure a sustainable future for the care workforce in Australia.
“The Queensland pilot project has helped us gain a better understanding of how we can attract and select the right people to the care sector and how we can better prepare people for the workforce,” Professor Buys said.
“We adopted a co-design approach for the study to ensure active participation and give equal voice to all participants, including our partners.”
As part of the pilot study, five of NaCWA’s Foundation Partners – ACU, Ballycara, Burnie Brae, Centacare, and Xavier – co-created the ‘NaCWA Care Work Essentials: Getting Ready to Work in the Care Sector’ training to provide a standardised industry-wide induction for all workers in the care sector.
“More than 40 participants, including health students, non-health students and personal care support workers, took part in the two face-to-face training rounds and worked together to build a clear understanding of a Human Rights-Based Code of Conduct in the care sector,” she said.
“Attendees then learned what a ‘day in the life of’ a support worker really looks like as well as how to navigate communicating with vulnerable people, how to spot compassion fatigue, and the importance of self-care and looking after yourself.
“As part of the Queensland pilot we also partnered with MyPass Global to trial the development and roll out of a digital skills passport.
“The skills passport is an online CV of sorts for students and current care workers in the sector, allowing them to store details of completed training endorsed across multiple suppliers, help job seekers find employment, reduce needless duplication of training and to improve mobility between employers. This high-tech solution has been used in the mining and resources industry but is a new idea in the care industry.
“In the second training round, more than half of participants completed a skills passport and, of those, more than half applied for a job,” Professor Buys said.
“There was a high rate of successful recruitment for providers that participated in the study and anecdotal feedback from providers indicated that candidates recruited through this study were of high quality and more prepared for employment on day one.”
Professor Buys said that a big challenge facing the care industry is the high rate of worker turnover.
“Workers often leave the industry when they feel underprepared,” she said.
“Care providers are faced with staff shortages, exacerbated by the time taken for new employees to get their documentation and qualifications in order.
“The training and skills passport trailed in this project address this industry challenge by providing workers with a realistic view of what to expect in the care industry and a tool to reduce the time taken to onboard a new worker.”
Following the successful development and testing of the Queensland pilot, the NaCWA alliance is planning to roll these initiatives out nationally.
