Care alliance trials training scheme

A national care workforce alliance has formed to co-design a program to provide standardised industry-wide induction training for care workers.

Consisting of aged care providers Ballycara, Burnie Brae, Catholic Healthcare, Calvary and Centacare, disability support organisation Xavier, and Australian Catholic University, the alliance is developing and trialling a range of processes, training and technology to attract more workers to the care sector and to improve worker mobility, retention and wellbeing.

The alliance – NaCWA – is also trialling methods to reduce worker underemployment, improve onboard training, and reduce duplication between organisations.

Joanne Roy – general manager, aged care and housing  at Centacare – said the alliance is a game changer. “It’s an innovative solution to a problem that all providers and candidates are experiencing,” she said. “So I think [the alliance] could provide a really meaningful and long-term benefit to the industry.”

During a recent four-hour trial training session held in Queensland, attendees learned what a day in the life of a support worker is really like as well as how to communicate effectively with vulnerable people, how to recognise the signs of compassion fatigue, and the importance of self-care.

One attendee – Stephanie, an ACU occupational therapy student – said she now felt excited about working in the care sector. “I learned a lot. It was good to hear from lots of care workers,” she said. “I really love that this is a trial as well because then I can have a voice if something isn’t working.”

In addition to developing a standardised workforce training program, other key initiatives being trialled include the rollout of a digital skills passport.

Designed to securely store and manage verified worker qualifications in one central location, the digital passport will enable workers to easily share their skills and training with potential employers.

Providers will also be able to use the skills passport to post jobs and identify suitable candidates. “We need to make it as easy as possible for people working in the sector to move amongst providers and to remove barriers for those wanting to enter the sector,” Ms Roy said.

Feedback from the training group will be gathered by the ACU research team prior to a further rollout of the program across New South Wales and Victoria.

The progress of the prospective workers in the trial will be tracked to determine if they are successful in obtaining roles in the care sector; ongoing job satisfaction and retention rates will also be monitored.

All seven of the NaCWA partners also plan to conduct more than 200 in-depth interviews with care workers across the country to better understand workforce sentiment. The results of the research are expected to be released at the end of the year.

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