A Specialist Disability Accommodation facility on the NSW South Coast has made an urgent plea for staff so it can move clients into their new homes. The Elliot Lane apartments were completed in October but due to a staff shortage have been unable to open.
Disability provider Tulgeen wants to fill more than 20 disability support jobs and believes TAFE NSW Bega is “ideally positioned” to provide the much-needed workforce.
“We need skilled, qualified people and Tulgeen naturally sees TAFE NSW as instrumental in training locals and getting them to extend themselves and step up,” Tulgeen CEO Duane Kelly said.
“Clients require a high level of support and everyone, including their families, is anticipating this SDA will provide that level of support,” he said. “A small community like ours urgently needs these skills and all it takes is a spark from a great training institution like TAFE NSW.”
Enrolments are currently open for the Certificate III in Individual Support (Disability) at TAFE NSW Bega and community services teacher Steve Reed said it was an opportunity for locals to change careers and gain meaningful person-centred employment.
“This is the benchmark qualification to be employed as a disability support worker and there’s a great opportunity here at Tulgeen and at other agencies,” Reed said. “The whole industry locally is struggling to recruit enough staff and so employment prospects for our graduates are extremely strong. The TAFE NSW Certificate III makes you very competitive in the jobs market and it’s wonderful to see our students’ confidence grow as they provide support to people with a range of disabilities.”
According to Reed, TAFE NSW disability students undertook work placement during the course, arming them with the hands-on, practical skills to make a running start into their careers.
For more information, visit www.tafensw.edu.au or call: 13 16 01.