$43.8 million package to train 8,000 care workers
Minister for Ageing, Justine Elliot, has announced a $43.8 million education and training package designed to up-skill more than 8,000 aged and community care staff.
Mrs Elliot made the announcement at the Ballina TAFE which will receive more than $191,000 under this funding round. Training organisations such as TAFE New South Wales in the electorates of Page and Richmond will receive more than $850,000 to train more than 150 local workers.
The $43.8 million education and training package is a key part of the Rudd Government’s investment in improving quality of care through the development of a skilled aged and community care workforce to meet the challenges of an ageing population.
This package brings the Rudd Government’s investment in training for aged care workers to more than $127 million, providing training for more than 21,300 aged care workers.
The programs in the $43.8 million education and training package are:
- Community Aged Care Workforce Development – which will equip more than 3,000 personal care workers with the skills and knowledge for home-based care of frail aged people with complex care needs; and
- Better Skills for Better Care – which will support more than 5,000 personal care workers in aged care homes in gaining certificate-level qualifications such as enrolled nursing.
These training initiatives build on other programs introduced to attract and retain skilled aged care workers such as the Support for Aged Care Training, which targets smaller less viable homes in rural and remote areas, and undergraduate and post-graduate nursing scholarships and the Bringing Nurses Back program which provides incentives.
For more details about either package contact the aged care info line 1800 500 853.
