AUSTRALIA | Canberra politicians and the Australian College of Nurse Practitioners will strengthen the aged care workforce and careers.
The Australian Government is backing its dedicated aged care workforce across Australia, investing AUD 21.5 million in scholarships to help aged care workers and nurses progress in their careers.
Workers in aged care deliver the very best care for loved ones. The government said it wants those working in the sector to have long, fulfilling careers providing the love and care that older Australians deserve.
The Aged Care Nursing Scholarships Program will support nurses and aged care workers to complete education and training, making sure they have the skills to deliver high-quality aged care that prioritises the complex needs of older people.
Scholarship participants can complete formal qualifications in aged care ranging from a Certificate III to a Masters or undertake training in specialised areas such as clinical leadership, palliative care, dementia care and infection prevention and control.
Over 1,000 scholarships are available, with guaranteed places for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander aged care workers and nurses.
The Australian College of Nurse Practitioners will deliver the Aged Care Nursing Scholarships Program until June 2027.
Aged care workers and nurses can apply for a scholarship on the Australian College of Nurse Practitioners website.
“Workers are at the frontline of our government’s aged care reforms, and giving them the development opportunities they need to build meaningful careers will help us deliver better care to every older Australian,” said Minister for Aged Care and Seniors, Sam Rae.
“These scholarships will attract more nurses and aged care workers to the sector and help those already working to build on their skills and deliver the world-class care older people deserve. Thanks to Labor's reforms, there is now a registered nurse onsite in aged care more than 99 percent of the time, programs like these will help us deliver even more care for even more older Australians."
Leanne Boase, Managing Director of Grants and Scholarship Programs at the Australian College of Nurse Practitioners, said the college looked forward to raising awareness of the roles of aged care workers and nurses, while supporting them to aspire to more advanced clinical roles and career paths to provide more advanced and complex care for older Australians.
“Programs like these not only provide scholarships for study, they can promote awareness and advancement, ultimately leading to better care.”
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