Community services jobs sector continues to grow

In a post-COVID employment market, people have had the opportunity to reflect on their work life and professional aspirations.

For many, there has been a fundamental shift as they realise the importance of connecting with their community.

Jess Tomkins was looking for a career that made a difference and made her feel good about herself.

“I made a conscious decision to change careers from hairdressing and was ready to make a difference. I wanted to do something to help people,” Odyssey House care and recovery coordination and overdose prevention clinician, Jess said.

“I started with The Gordon in Certificate III in Community Services to build my study skills and then moved into my diploma. Through my placement at Odyssey House, I was fortunate enough to find the perfect job.”

Nic Morgan, Odyssey House Victoria Team Leader Intensive Support Services, is a great advocate of the work The Gordon does to ensure graduates are job-ready.

“We have employed three Gordon graduates over the past 18 months,” he said.

“We’re introduced to them on work placement and we can see how they could work with our team here at Odyssey. Gordon students come to us with high skill levels. They are motivated and compassionate and refreshingly very open-minded. They are open to learning and keen to put their learnings into practice.

“Jess just hit the ground running. She asks all the right questions. She is passionate and brings new ideas to our workplace. Seasoned staff members have benefited from working with Jess.

“We see service seekers with complex needs related to substance abuse. You need certain emotional and educational skillset to work in this field. We are always looking for graduates who are open to continuous learning and development.”

Findings from the Human Services Workforce Forum Report found that welfare support worker roles would grow from 73,000 to 80,500 by 2025.

“The job opportunities in the community services sector, including disability and youth work, are in high demand. Local employers such as the Department of Family Fairness and Housing are always looking for qualified staff, so there has never been a better time to study,” The Gordon’s vocational education manager, community services Cassandra Langdon said.

“In addition, all the programs have Free TAFE, so you are not out of pocket.

“We have wonderful working relationships with local community service providers in the region. Our students often find jobs whilst being on work placement.

“It’s great to see the students learn and grow during work placement and to have the opportunity to apply for these roles.

“I am so proud of students like Jess. We got to watch her journey, coming to us as a fresh-faced student with strong ideals.

“The reason I moved into teaching was to see higher-educated workers entering the sector. There is nothing more fulfilling than seeing graduates working in the community.

“It is beautiful to see she is now in the perfect role to be a confident clinician. We can see the caring and passion in our students, and we are here to support their learning journey. We say to anyone unsure about the study, come and talk to us, and we can help you find a course to suit you.”

Register for the community services information session on Tuesday, 17 January, at 5pm at the Geelong City Campus at thegordon.edu.au where you can find out more about your career path options.

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