The NDIS is creating exciting opportunities for people looking for a values-driven career with a direct impact on the lives of others.
The disability workforce needs to expand rapidly to meet growing demand for services and support with the NDIS.
This growth needs to occur alongside challenges including an ageing workforce, competition from similar industries (for example aged care), and historical barriers to recruitment and retention in the disability sector.
The NDIS presents an opportunity to promote the range of rewarding jobs and career opportunities in the disability sector, and to attract people from a range of personal and professional backgrounds to work in disability.
While the largest anticipated growth is expected in direct support roles, the NDIS will also spark the emergence of new jobs. It will encourage engagement of people outside the traditional disability sector as participants purchase supports from mainstream services rather than the specialist disability service system.
The Victorian Government is investing in targeted strategies to actively promote careers in disability across the spectrum of roles, from direct support to management and leadership in the sector.
Strategies will reach out to groups that are typically under-represented in the disability workforce including young people, people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds and Aboriginal Victorians. As Skills and Job Centres are located around the state they are ideally placed to reach into cohorts and communities.
A focus on attracting people from a range of backgrounds will build a more sustainable workforce and one that better reflects the diversity of Victoria’s communities.
Strategies will build on existing platforms and be developed in partnership with the disability sector.
Objective:
Promote careers in the disability sector and attract people from a range of backgrounds.
Actions:
- Undertake a targeted campaign that builds on existing platforms and resources specialising in disability and training and information.
- Target promotion of careers in disability to reach particular cohorts and communities through the Victorian Government’s Skills and Job Centres1, to support the growth of a diverse and representative workforce.
1Skills and Job Centres, co-located at Victoria’s public TAFEs, were created as ‘first point of call’ for students looking to start training, workers needing to re-skill, unemployed workers needing support for retraining and work placement and new employers.
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