Growing the Health & Community Services Workforce

The Health & Community Services (H&CS) industry sector is the largest and fastest growing employment sector in the Geelong region with the National Disability Insurance Scheme roll out, WorkSafe coming to the region and new hospitals such as the Epworth and a Barwon Health facility in the northern suburbs. H&CS is also the largest employer in the G21 region, state and nationally. Recent trending industries data collated by Geelong Careers for the G21 region, noted that Careers in Health job vacancies during 2021 grew by 72% when compared with 2020 data.

In 2022 the Geelong Region Local Learning & Employment Network has partnered with Skilling the Bay to bring to young people starting out on their pathway journey, a World of Work Careers Immersion in the Health & Community Services Industry. The World of Work (WOW) program aims to build awareness and create access to the diversity of jobs and career opportunities in the burgeoning H&CS sector in the Geelong region, including those who may experience social or educational exclusion.

The WOW Program implements strategic and coordinated awareness raising modules delivered through the months of April to October 2022 and promotes pathways through VET in Schools or School based Traineeships into further education, training or employment in the H&CS sector. The Program is funded by the Skilling the Bay initiative until the end of 2022.

Register here

The World of Work: Health & Community Services aims:

To inspire young people to explore careers both entry level and through study pathways in the H&CS sector
To raise students awareness and knowledge of the diverse careers in both clinical and non-clinical roles in the Health & Community Services Industry
To explore Health & Community Service organisations in the Geelong Region
To develop students digital competency through the completion of Future Health Skills Microcredentials
To improve students’ knowledge of the essential employability skills needed to work in the industry
To build students capability in and knowledge of transferable employability skills
To provide support to access entry level training pathways including Vet in Schools (VETDSS) and Traineeships (Fulltime and SBAT)

Accredited training programs for school students at school (VETis and SBAT) and beyond school include:

Certificate III in Community Services (VETDSS)
Certificate III Allied Health Assistance (VETDSS)
Certificate III Laboratory Skills (VETDSS)
Certificate III Health Services Assistance (Assisting Nursing Work Acute Care)
Certificate III in Health Services Assistance
Certificate III in Individual Support (Ageing)
Certificate III in Pathology Collection
Certificate III in Sterilisation Services
Certificate IV in Alcohol and other Drugs
Certificate IV in Laboratory Techniques
Certificate IV in Allied Health Assistance
Certificate IV in Disability
Certificate IV in Operating Theatre Technical Support
Certificate IV in Mental Health
Certificate IV in Leisure and Health
Certificate IV in Youth Work
Diploma of Nursing
Diploma of Laboratory Technology
Diploma of Remedial Massage
Diploma of Community Services (Case Management)

Resources

If you are interested in finding out more about what it's like to work in the community services and health sector, click here to have a look at some videos of people working in some of these careers in our region.