Skills Formation Strategies Project (SFS)
Skills Formation Strategies provide a means by which key industries and communities can analyse and address the causes of skills shortages and other skilling issues. They bring together employers, industry associations, unions, government agencies, contractors, training and education providers, businesses and communities to identify the real causes of skills shortages and barriers to workforce development, and to develop solutions.
Research suggests that skills shortages in many industries are not just the result of insufficient access to training or problems with the vocational training system. Skills shortages are also related to other factors such as a lack of knowledge of the industry, poor image of the industry, lack of career paths, the nature of jobs in the industry, employment conditions and wages, geographical remoteness, and work not being compatible with desired lifestyles. Skills Formation Strategies work on this broad range of issues to help ensure a viable workforce for the future.
Health and Community Services Workforce Council is currently funded by the Queensland Department of Education, Training and the Arts to manage five Skills Formation Strategies: Aged Care, Child Care, Northlakes Integrated Health Project, Health (Enrolled Nursing) and Child Protection
Aged Care Project Details
The Aged Care Skills Formation Strategy has been operating since 2003 and works a broad range of industry players across community, residential and hospital care sectors. The project looks at the variety of roles within aged care and includes enrolled nurses, and it focuses on both the vocational education and training and the higher education sectors.
Regional Model
This is a state-wide project that is overseen by an Industry Reference Group and is assisted by a variety of working groups that draw members from a range of stakeholder organisations across a variety of regional areas.
Within the Aged Care Skills Formation Strategy are two separately funded projects working on priority issues for the industry:
The Casualisation Research Project funded by the Queensland Department of Employment and Training looks at the causes and impacts of high levels of casual employment in the aged care industry in Queensland. The research is being conducted in partnership with the Australian Centre for Industrial Relations Research and Training and a report is expected to be released in mid 2006.
Casualisation Research Project Introduction
The Supply Chain Project funded by the NSW Department of Education and Training looks at the potential expanded role for Allied Health Assistants both community and residential aged care. A pilot will be conducted in early 2006 with a focus on new roles, procedures, competencies and training required to support Allied Health Professionals under the proposed expanded role.
Supply Chain Project Final Report (1,453 KB PDF)
This final report covers the aims and outcomes of the Aged Care Skills Formation Strategy Supply Chain Project that looked at workforce issues in the Queensland Allied Health sector. The report examines the Blue Care and the St Andrew's War Memorial Hospital case studies that were researched for the project and includes key learnings and recommendations for allied health services.The Supply Chain Partners, Blue Care and St Andrews War Memorial Hospital met with the Parliamentary members of the Legislative Assembly Standing Committee on Education, Training and Young People of the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) Parliament to outline the experiences of redesigning work in allied health which provides entry level vocational education and training for young people to begin a career in allied health assistance.
This report to Parliament in the ACT provides the Standing Committee’s findings
The Final Report can be downloaded here (1,453 KB PDF).
QLD Aged Care Workforce Survey 2004
The QLD Aged Care Workforce Survey 2004 can be downloaded here (153 KB PDF).