Policy
Workforce
ECEC comes out on top as JobTrainer reaches 300,000 milestone
Freya Lucas
Feb 08, 2022
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The Federal Government’s popular training initiative JobTrainer has reached a significant milestone, exceeding its initial course commitment with more than 300,000 enrolments across the country.
Early childhood education and care (ECEC) training opportunities have been enthusiastically embraced by participants, with both the Certificate III and the Diploma of Early Childhood Education and Care being in the top five courses nationally.JobTrainer works by funding free or low fee training at TAFEs and Registered Training Organisations (RTOs) for job seekers and young people, including school leavers, in areas of identified local skills need.
The Federal Government has doubled down on its JobTrainer program in the Federal Budget, expanding it to fund 463,000 course placements, of which 163,000 spots are currently available for in demand skills including ECEC.
“Our expanded program is open to anyone regardless of their age, employment status or prior study,” Minister Robert added.
Alongside JobTrainer, a number of initiatives have sprung up to encourage young people to consider a career path in people centred professions such as early childhood. One such initiative, the Positive Humanity campaign, has been launched by the Human Services Skills Organisation (HSSO) in partnership with school leaver service Year13.
The campaign examines the different human centered career paths available and what is needed to work in the roles, addressing statistics and research with note that more than 250,000 workers will need to be found and trained in the next five years to meet the needs of Australia’s burgeoning Human Services sector, and that triple that number will be needed by 2050.
Human Services is a rapidly growing group of sectors whereby humans are needed to provide care for other humans. The sector has nearly double the projected growth rate of any other industry in the Australian economy and includes areas such as aged care, disability services, early childhood education and care and veteran care.
HSSO CEO Jodi Schmidt said she is concerned that too many young people assume they will not like a career in human services based on a lack of understanding about the diversity of roles available and the type of work on offer, and that, for individuals who enjoy working with people and having variety, such roles can be very rewarding.
“People need to reflect on the personal traits required for the roles in addition to training and qualifications,” she explained.
“Skilled, confident, empathic and patient staff are seen as critical to how human services providers can successfully deliver services to improve the lives of people in our communities.”
“The negative connotations associated with care and support work often discourage young people from careers that would suit their work preference and offer great value including flexible arrangements, a variety of work, extensive career pathways and opportunities. It also offers the security of an ever-growing sector that young people tell us is critical for the future of work post pandemic,” Ms Schmidt added.
The Positive Humanity campaign delivers free online learning courses through Year13’s “The Academy” which sits on its website. Courses covered under JobTrainer can be found at www.myskills.gov.au/jobtrainer
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