Strong response to care workforce campaign
More than a thousand people have applied for work as carers in the first two week of a state government campaign.
The NSW Government says its television campaign encouraging people to consider working as carers has proved a great success.
It has been just over two weeks since the commercials went to air but already more than 1,000 people have filled out job applications for positions in disability services and community care.
Government research predicts that there will be 38,000 vacancies for paid carers in the state over the next five years as existing care staff retire and new jobs are created.
The multi-million dollar ad campaign is a joint initiative of the NSW Government and the National Disability Services (NDS) and was commissioned in response to the ageing population.
NDS’s NSW Manager Patrick Maher said the campaign aimed to support up to 750 care providers, which are able to place job advertisements on the ‘carecareer’ website for free.
“Already, almost 700 hiring organisations are using the carecareers jobs board, talent pool and recruitment and advisory service,” said Mr Maher.
“This is a real partnership between government, the non-government sector and the community to meet future demand and promote the sector as a rewarding place to work.”
The three television ads, which began showing in late January, feature interactions between community care clients and their carers.
One of the ads focuses on the relationship between Mr Lam, a 96-year-old widower, and his bilingual carer, Linda.
“I feel honoured to be involved in this rare opportunity,” Mr Lam said.
“Elderly people like me who’ve reached 90 plus years in age have been discarded by society and there is no space left for me.”
The television ads can be viewed on the campaign’s website.
