Case study: Supporting a community services workforce for the future

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[Matthew Gillett, General Manager, Community Services Industry Alliance]

[Background music] So the Queensland Workforce Strategy is unique in Australia, I think because it's focusing not just on a training strategy but also on the whole range of things that we need to do to support a workforce growth and development into the future. And so we're very much focused on supporting people who have perhaps been marginalised from the workforce or people in other industries who haven't thought about a career in community services.

It's now really important that we think differently about how to grow and develop local talent to fill local jobs. So we work with employers across the community services industry, and so we've been very lucky to be able to tailor the Jobs Queensland workforce planning resources to suit our industry and to work with employers across different sectors and across regions to take a more strategic approach to understanding their future workforce and planning the pipeline for the future workers.

The earlier in their schooling that students can become aware of different jobs means that the more able they are to tailor their learning and their work experience to help them to get an understanding of the jobs that may or may not be suitable for them. What we've found works really well is to work with the schools, the teachers and the parents to help raise awareness of the kinds of jobs that are available and then to invite students into the workplace through structured arrangements where they can interact with people who work in our industry and to get a feel for how well they might be suited to those jobs.

There's lots of information on the website about the various programs that are available, but also if you're in a community services organisation, reach out to Community Services Industry Alliance, our industry workforce advisor who's funded by the department we'll be able to help you to access the various programs that are available.

Successfully bringing together key stakeholders like industry, employers and government to design place-based approaches with and for communities is essential according to the Community Services Industry Alliance (CSIA).

CSIA General Manager Program, Matthew Gillett, says the Good people. Good jobs: Queensland Workforce Strategy 2022–2032 is empowering this collaborative approach to respond to workforce priorities for the community services sector and other industries in Queensland.

"The Queensland Workforce Strategy is unique in Australia because it's focusing not just on a training strategy, but also on the whole range of things that we need to do to support a workforce growth and development into the future."

With a skills shortage across many sectors Mr Gillett says CSIA, as the peak community services body in Queensland, is committed to supporting the industry to develop its workforce for the future. "We are very much focused on supporting people who have perhaps been marginalised from the workforce or people in other industries who haven't thought about a career in community services."

The Queensland Workforce Strategy is a 10-year strategy designed to unleash the strength of Queensland's greatest asset—its people. Partnerships and collaboration between industry and community are a central element of the strategy.

"We've been very lucky to be able to tailor the Jobs Queensland workforce planning resources to suit our industry and to work with employers across different sectors and across regions to take a more strategic approach to understanding their future workforce and planning the pipeline for the future workers," Mr Gillett says.

With so many future work options for students, Mr Gillett shares his tips for helping young people choose a career in community services.

"The earlier in their schooling that students can become aware of different jobs means that the more able they are to tailor their learning and their work experience to help them to get an understanding of the jobs that may or may not be suitable for them."

Workforce experience is the key says Mr Gillett, and CSIA is positioned to assist students and employers along this path.

"What we've found works really well is to work with the schools, the teachers, and the parents to help raise awareness of the kinds of jobs that are available, and then to invite students into the workplace through structured arrangements where they can interact with people who work in our industry to get a feel for how well they might be suited to those jobs."

Small to medium community service sector employers can also access workforce planning support through the Queensland Government's Industry Workforce Advisor program which assists employers to address workforce attraction and retention challenges, diversify their workforces, and support businesses and workforce growth.

The industry workforce advisor for community services is hosted by CSIA.

"Our industry workforce advisor, who's funded by the department will be able to help you to access the various programs that are available.

"There's lots of information on the website about the various programs that are available, but also if you're in a community services organisation, reach out to Community Services Industry Alliance."