Mission possible: TAFE Queensland fills caring roles

Overview

• There are critical workforce challenges in attracting staff in the aged, disability, home and community care sectors
• For the previous three years Wesley Mission Queensland has been working with TAFE Queensland to source Certificate III in Individual Support (CHC33015) graduates to fill employment positions. To this date 80 employees (graduates) have come from TAFE Queensland.
• Wesley Mission is very pleased with the training TAFE Queensland provides — so much so that a vocational placement program is being formalised which will allow future graduates hands-on experience and exposure to Wesley Mission Queensland’s operations and culture, and in turn provide an even smoother transition to employment.

Opportunity

There is a critical shortage of qualified staff available to fill ‘caring for individuals’ roles. Prior to using TAFE Queensland, Wesley Mission Queensland had worked with a number of other Registered Training Organisations to source potential employees, however few success stories resulted, specifically in relation to employee numbers, their quality of work, and their retainment.

Solution

TAFE Queensland, as part of its focus on equipping graduates with employment opportunities, reached out to Wesley Mission Queensland and developed a strong, mutually beneficial relationship. TAFE Queensland’s qualified and suitable Certificate III in Individual Support (CHC33015) graduates now fill employment roles at Wesley Mission Queensland across many of the non-profit’s sites and care environments.

Results

To this date more than 80 TAFE Queensland graduates have been employed by Wesley Mission Queensland. Director of People and Culture, Steve Eltis said, “We are so pleased with how everything is turning out. TAFE Queensland’s model of teaching and curriculum is better than anything else we’ve seen, and the graduates are first-class.”

TAFE Queensland has also provided some individual competencies in specialised skillsets such as infection control, medication assist, and some skills gap training.

Future Plans

Wesley Mission Queensland and TAFE Queensland are in the process of formalising a vocational placement agreement, which will ensure meaningful onsite workplace experience for Certificate III in Individual Support (CHC33015) students. This will ensure extra sets of knowledgeable and passionate ‘hands on deck’ for Wesley Mission Queensland, and subsequently, a smoother transition for suitable graduates into future employment with the organisation.