NEXT GENeration of aged-care professionals

The aged-care industry needs the best and brightest minds to ensure our growing numbers of older Australians receive the best care, support and service as possible.

Leading Age Service Australia (LASA) is launching the NEXT GEN initiative to attract more young leaders and professionals to steer the age services industry through a period of unprecedented growth and change and into the future.

The combination of increasing demand for age services, the emerging need for renewal and growth of the current workforce and the desire for new ideas, technologies and models of care to meet the changing needs of the growing numbers of older Australians make the NEXT GEN initiative a program of national importance for the age services industry.

The ageing demographics of Australia mean that any young career-minded individual who wants to make a positive difference in the lives of others has strong opportunities to progress their careers in the age services industry. There are many genuine career opportunities, working in either age services directly or in professions and trades that service our industry, where people can be challenged and rewarded, all while making a meaningful difference in people’s lives.

The feedback we are hearing from young people is that they want to have a voice and they want to play a key role in shaping and driving the aged-care industry of the future.

The NEXT GEN Young Leaders Forum was the first event under LASA’s NEXT GEN initiative and was launched by the Federal Minister for Aged Care Hon Ken Wyatt MP on Tuesday, 15 May in Perth.

The forum involved young professionals, current leaders, emerging leaders and board directors with a shared desire to make a positive difference in the lives of older Australians. Participants may have already been working in the aged-care industry or are ambitious young professionals seeking a dynamic new career path.

These young professionals are passionate and creative, with a vision that challenges many of the mindsets and models associated with the way we currently care for our older Australians.

Launching Australia’s first aged-care Next Gen Young Leaders Forum in Perth, Minister Wyatt said strong, long-term demand and the promise of new professional pathways made the sector an ideal employment choice.

“We are entering a golden age of ageing,” said Minister Wyatt. “In WA alone, it’s projected employment in health, aged care and social assistance will reach more than 180,000 by 2022, as our population ages and the sector becomes increasingly diverse.

“To put this in perspective, this is around 50% more workers than were in WA’s mining industry at the peak of the resources boom in 2012.

“Forums like this are crucial, to highlight the aged-care sector’s potential and to canvas ideas from young leaders about getting the message out.”

Two young leaders who have found exciting career and leadership opportunities in the aged-care sector include Laura Sutherland (3D Recruit) and Samantha Bowen (Acorn Network).

Laura Sutherland. Image credit: ©The SceneTeam

Laura Sutherland initially started her career in psychology and worked in Mental Health and Aged Care services in the UK. She took the leap into recruitment 13 years ago and continued to recruit to these sectors, which she has first-hand experience in and was passionate about. Having worked for some of the largest corporate recruiters globally, Laura identified the need for a more bespoke service to meet the unique demands of the aged-care industry. In 2012 Laura started her own business, 3D Recruit, offering specialist recruitment and workforce consultancy, with a pure focus on aged care and community services.

Samantha Bowen. Image credit: ©The SceneTeam

Samantha Bowen is the Founding Director of Acorn Network Pty Ltd. Over the past 4 years, Samantha has worked with organisations and individuals from across Australia through hosting national events, presenting internationally on millennial engagement and even creating an innovative e-Mentoring Program for Australia’s aged-care industry. As an emerging leader in Australia’s healthcare scene, she has a strong list of accomplishments for someone in their early 30s, including Federal Board Member for the NHMRC’S National Institute for Dementia Research; a recipient of the Layne Beachley Aim For the Stars Scholarship.

*Sean Rooney is the national CEO of LASA. He has held several chief executive/senior roles in public, private and not-for-profit sector organisations including the CSIRO, Medicare Local Alliance and in the ACT Government.

Top image — NEXT GEN Young Leaders forum participants (L-R):

Lize Coetzee – Audiologist/Manager Ear Science Institute Australia (Lions Hearing Clinic)

Todd Paterson – Architect/Director (KPA Architects)

Sam Singh – Lifestyle Manager (Berrington Care)

Paul Forrest – Physiotherapist/Manager (Xtra Home Care)

Teelia Peploe – Business Operator/Director (St Louis Home care)

Laura Sutherland – Recruitment Specialist/Director (3D Recruit)

Samantha Bowen – Entrepreneur/Director (Acorn Network)

Daniel Lee – Consultant/Advisor (Ansell Strategic)

Chloe D’Souza – Solicitor (Jackson MacDonald)

Richard Holland – Security Expert (Blueforce)

Karlie Ford – Corporate Photographer/Owner (The Scene Team)

Kelly Gray – Business Founder/Author (MyCare MyChoice).

Image credit: ©The SceneTeam