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Health care and social services offer job security post pandemic

Health care and Social services is the largest employing industry across Australia.

Health care and Social services is the largest employing industry across Australia. Photo: Getty Images

Job uncertainty and unemployment in Australia is sweeping the country as businesses close, redundancies rise, and hours and pay are reduced.

However, industries such as health care and social services could provide much-needed job security post-coronavirus.

Growth of health care and social services

Health care and social services is the largest employing industry across Australia (Source: Australian Industry and Skills Committee).

In 2019, it employed nearly 1.7 million people.

It also showed the most extensive industry growth, with 109,000 additional roles, in the 12 months leading up to February 2020 (Source: Australian government’s April 2020 Australian Labour Market Update)

Before coronavirus, the 2019 Industry Employment Projects Report from the Australian government predicted that leading to May 2024, employment in health care and social services would grow more than any other industry. (Source: Labour Market Information Portal).

It estimated 252,600 more positions would be expected to become available, creating a wealth of job opportunities for people passionate about working in health care.

Job stability in health care and social services

Although the above predictions were made before the pandemic, it is reasonable to assume that the health care and social services industry will remain stable.

After all, the health care system in Australia is one of the best in the world, and the services it provides are critical.

The government also provides it with funding and support, which means there should continue to be job openings in a variety of areas.

During the pandemic, health care workers are being relied on heavily.

Long term, with an ageing population and population growth, the demand for health care services will continue to increase, which guarantees jobs in the future.

There is already a considerable skills shortage in this industry.

However, with a reduced migrant workforce, because of COVID-19, there are now concerns the gap will widen.

As a result, the number of job opportunities available may increase.

Reskilling for the health care and social services industry

To transition successfully into this industry, developing the necessary skills is vital.

Many roles require more advanced education and qualifications, with Job Outlook reporting that many people in this industry have a Certificate III/IV or higher.

Open Colleges offer several nationally recognised health care and social services courses.

These cover a range of specialist areas, including nursing, aged support, mental health, community services, youth work and more.

Courses can be carried out online and, once completed, will present lots of exciting, rewarding, and reliable career opportunities.

Discover the full selection of Health Care and Social Services courses from Open Colleges here.

 


Author: Elizabeth Harmon

Elizabeth Harmon is an experienced Freelance Social Media Consultant based in the south of England.

This post is sponsored by Open Colleges

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