The Community Sector Training Package was the second largest training package (after Business Services) in 2016 in terms of enrolment numbers. There were over 367,000 enrolments in 2016, which is a slight increase in numbers since 2014. There were also close to 46,000 subject only enrolments (no qualification) in 2016 which was up from about 26,500 in 2014.
Numbers of program completions have fallen from about 126,000 in 2014 to 103,000 in 2016.
It is also interesting to note the large number of subject only enrolments. In 2016 the units of competency with the largest numbers of subject only enrolments were:
- Recognise and respond appropriately to domestic and family violence (4,000 enrolments)
- Identify and respond to children and young people at risk (3,300 enrolments)
- Provide support to people living with dementia (3,200 enrolments).
Job vacancy data for the Health and Community Services industry shows that the top 5 generic skills asked for by employers in this industry are:
- communication
- organisational
- writing
- computer
- planning.
SkillsIQ is conducting a project to assist understanding of the implications of consumer-directed care reforms across Health and Community Services sectors such as disability, aged care, mental health and primary care. These reforms have implications for skills across the different sectors of the Community Services workforce.
Skills clusters that were ranked of highest priority by industries in South Australia’s Health Care and Social Assistance sector were Administration and Support, Managerial and Leadership, and Sales and Customer service. As reported in the Health Care & Social Assistance Sector Profile this is consistent with the move to greater consumer choice in this industry as a result of reforms.