Initiative 6 – Recognised training for skills and careers

Thank you to everyone who registered interest to participate in consultation activities on this initiative.

This project aimed to develop short-courses and update industry training to give care and support workers more flexible and tailored training options to get the essential skills they need for their work.

Industry recognised short courses, sometimes referred to as micro-credentials, can provide workers with a more efficient way to get the key skills they need, and can offer new opportunities to expand their development and career in the sector. Micro-credentials have a number of benefits, which make them a valuable addition to existing forms of training, including:

• accessibility – these shorter, less expensive courses help workers who are short on time to undertake essential training and fit it around other commitments
• adaptability – training for a broad range of skills and roles allows workers to choose training that is tailored to their specific needs
• responsiveness – shorter coursers offer greater flexibility in course development to respond to industry needs.

We spoke to a range of people and organisations to find out what skills and training are required for roles in disability support work, as well as the critical skill needs and training gaps for workers in the sector.

If we did not contact you to be involved in a consultation activity on this initiative, there may be opportunities to participate in similar consultations in the future. Please visit engage.dss.gov.au to find out about other consultations available.