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Aged care nurses and carers have been tipped as being in one of the most in-demand professions in Australia.
The federal government ranked the top ten industries facing critical worker shortages over the next five years ahead of its Jobs and Skills Summit on September 1-2.
Based on employer demand, the list included registered nurses, disability workers and aged care staff alongside chefs, teachers and child carers.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said updated training will be pivotal to fill incoming workforce and skills gaps.
“Better skills and better training means better jobs and a better future for more Australians in more parts of the country,” he said.
“My government is focused on growing our vocational and training sector, delivering 465,000 fee-free TAFE places to help address skills shortages, and upgrading key TAFE infrastructure.
“Our goal is to build a strong VET sector to help more Australians get secure, well-paying jobs, while providing the skilled workers that business needs to grow our economy.”
According to a recent report from the Committee for Economic Development of Australia, the country needs to find an extra 35,000 aged care workers per year to fill growing skills shortages – up from 17,000 last year.
Today, federal Health Minister Mark Butler met with representatives across the health workforce to map out critical topics to be discussed during next week's summit.
Improved safety conditions, secure wages and support for career progression were identified as the government's top three health workforce priorities.
The minister said he will continue to meet with frontline health workers and people who have quit the industry to "understand their issues and what the government can do better".
“24 hours a day, 7 days a week, Australians rely on our health workforce,” he said.
“Growing and supporting the health workforce is my priority – from nurses, to physios, to doctors, to cleaners, paramedics, wardies, security guards and every other health worker.
“The Albanese Government is committed to growing and supporting the health workforce so that we can continue to provide world-class healthcare to every Australian.”
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