Jobs & Money Detail
Australia needs care professionals
The need for care professionals in Australia has recently become great enough to hit the national news
But what kind of qualifications is the country looking for, and where are the real opportunities based? Hanna Lindon investigates
If you're a social worker, a childcare professional or simply want to give something back to your new country, then Australia has plenty of opportunities up for grabs.
While community care professions are often thought of as a short-term fix by gap year students travelling Australia on a work permit, they can represent rewarding full-time careers. Australian employers are also biased in favour of more mature employees who are likely to stay in the job for longer. "I would prefer to employ somebody who is older and more serious about childcare as a profession than a younger person who might be starry-eyed about Australia but who isn't really interested in children," says Bill Adler, CEO of International Education for Imagine Education Australia.
A severe shortage of care workers, especially in childcare, social work and care of the elderly, means that British migrants will have a wide choice of locations. In addition to being in demand in rural and regional areas, care workers are also required in the big cities. According to Louise Oliaro, a social worker with Axia Solutions Social Work Recruitment Specialists, many employers are prepared to sponsor British migrants. "The easiest way for social workers to find a job is to come out on a Working Holiday Visa and then agencies may consider sponsorship," she says.
As a result of severe shortages, many recruiters are travelling to the UK to recruit British workers. Most are looking for qualified workers, but some, such as Imagine Education Australia, which is appearing at this month's Sandown Emigrate show, are prepared to sponsor unqualified migrants on the proviso that they undergo a training period in Australia.
Childcare
A recent article in The Sydney Morning Herald outlined why recruiters in childcare are increasingly looking to the UK for qualified staff. "The number of childcare places has expanded by almost 60 per cent in the past decade, but a growing national childcare waiting list and spiralling costs are still holding back the economy," it revealed. "Almost 200,000 extra childcare places are needed and their non-existence is stopping parents from working, a comprehensive child-care report has found."
As a result of these shortages, many recruiters are actively seeking British workers, which in turn is making it easier for childcare professionals to emigrate. One way for people looking to work in childcare to come to Australia is on a temporary business sponsored visa. These can be valid for anywhere between three months and four years, and if you have sufficient qualifications and/ or experience you may not be required to undergo formal skills assessment.
Joel Irving is a migration agent at This Is Australia Migration Services. He explains the hoops that emigrants need to jump through in order to gain permanent residency as a childcare professional: "If you are seeking Permanent Residency, and wish to apply for Independent General Skilled Migration, there are a number of criteria you must meet in order to do so. You must be under 45 years of age, have good English ability and have your skills formally assessed by Trades Recognition Australia (TRA). "To get your skills favourably assessed by the TRA you must have completed a two-year accredited post-secondary course in childcare (diploma or advanced diploma) or three-year accredited tertiary course in early childhood care or education. You also must have three years supervisory experience that reflects the responsibilities, duties and tasks of a Childcare Co-ordinator. This must be obtained in an environment of substantial size and reputation and subject to a regulatory framework, and gained after the accredited course referred to above is completed," Irving adds.
The opportunities available will depend very much on the area you are considering moving to. Although there are childcare shortages across Australia, they are concentrated in rural and regional areas. Child carers in Australia tend to be well paid, especially in the private sector, and to receive bonuses for working in regional locations. To find out more about working in childcare in the public sector, click here.
Social work
Because social work is not a registered profession in Australia, the majority of social workers will not strictly need to have their skills assessed in order to work in the sector. You will, however, need either to be sponsored by an Australian employer, to pass the Australian Skilled Migration General Points test or to be eligible for a Working Holiday Visa in order to emigrate. Social workers can score a maximum of 60 points under the points test, and to achieve the full points score will need to have their skills assessed by the Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW).
This generally means you will need to have a four-year degree with a social work qualification included within it. If you do not have a four-year degree, you may still qualify for membership if you have a degree and a social work qualification. A DipSW on its own is not likely to be recognised as a social work qualification in Australia without you undertaking further study.
There are a number of recruitment sites offering assistance to British social workers looking to make the move Down Under. Try the following sites for further information:
Axia Solutions
Ozone Recruitment
RSG Australia
Browse current job offers in Australia
Related article:
Job prospects in health down under
Register for your FREE emigration starter pack
Subscribe to Emigrate magazine. Read more ...