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The Apprenticeship Careers Australia (ACA) ‘More Jobs More Care’ program has highlighted the benefits of health and disability providers taking on trainees. The initiative placed over 300 trainees in the healthcare and disability support sector, with over 1700 people employed, with numbers rising.

Senior Recruitment Partner James Alexander of Nextt Group said. “The overtime has reduced in our business and now we have more focus to work on growing our company.”

The publication of a Government study indicates that Australia faces a gap of more than 200,000 full-time care workers by 2050.

Employing trainees in the health sector is little known among providers. Traineeships can potentially ease the current and forecasted shortfall in skilled labour in the industry.

“In the disability and aged care sectors, no one talks about traineeships. No one knew what to expect from the program, but it worked! And we should support more businesses to be open to traineeships as part of their workforce planning,” said ACA Program Manager Brett Clarke.

Whether a company is large or small, “…it helps them as organisations, to have more skilled staff, candidates work while they learn,” Director of ³Ô¹ÏÍøÕ¾ & Living Support Forward Ability Support, Sarah Bowe said.

Using employment and training services such as Apprenticeship Careers Australia has helped build and strengthen the workforce across the health sectors. “Candidates didn’t know how to get a job in this sector and ACA made it possible by connecting them with the industry,” ACA Regional Program Manager Tash Kesby said.