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Home > Ministers > The Hon Justine Elliot MP, Minister for Ageing > Media Hub > $43.8 Million Package to Train More Than 8000 Aged Care Workers

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PDF printable version of $43.8 Million Package to Train More Than 8000 Aged Care Workers (PDF 27 KB)

23 July 2009

Minister for Ageing, Justine Elliot today announced a $43.8 million education and training package designed to up-skill more than 8,000 aged and community care staff.

Minister Elliot made the announcement at the Ballina TAFE which will receive more than $191,000 under this funding round. Training organisations such as TAFE NSW 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.

“Australians now have the longest life expectancy in the English speaking world – and we are responding to the challenges of our nation’s ageing population,” Minister Elliot said.

“We are continuing to invest in training so that the aged and community care workforce is equipped with the right skills to provide high quality care to people in their own homes and in aged care homes.

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.

Minister Elliot said, “This is a practical and commonsense measure – it is about helping people gain additional work skills and build a long-term career in aged care.

“The Rudd Government is committed to ensuring older Australians receive the best quality of care, whether they chose to remain at home or enter residential care, and a skilled aged care workforce is an important component in providing quality care.”

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

For media inquiries, contact Mrs Elliot's office on (02) 6277 7280