Illawarra-based aged care provider IRT “needs people with a positive mindset and a willingness to learn and work hard”, says CEO Nieves Murray.
In an industry where there are four times as many jobs as workers, Ms Murray says there has never been a better time to start a career in aged care.
One possible answer: train people with disabilities.
An innovative idea
The not-for-profit provider is giving people with intellectual disabilities the chance to start a career in aged care under a new 10 week pilot program called CareerAbility in Aged Care, developed with the specialist disability support group Flagstaff.
Seven participants complete work placements at IRT’s William Beach Gardens village in Kanahooka as part of a Certificate III in Individual Care.
The participants were trained by IRT College at a cost of around $30,000.
So why did IRT choose to fund the program? Murray says: “We’re reforming our services to be more innovative, customer centric and agile, and getting creative – developing a workplace culture where new ideas thrive, and improving our customers’ quality of life,” she said. “And I think our new graduates will be a great fit in this environment.”
And it is working. So far two of the participants have been offered traineeships with IRT Care and the remaining five are finishing IRT courses.
