September to November 2024
This project will evaluate and update the 5 Community Service qualifications to best serve the needs of the Community Services sector and the broader Health Care and Social Assistance sector, ensuring they align with current industry needs, regulatory requirements, safety and wellbeing outcomes for clients, and create clear and sustainable career pathways to support existing and future growth in the industry.
The review will ensure training products address emerging approaches such as trauma-informed care, cultural competence and person-centred practice along with skills in collaboration and co-design with service users.
Project Scope
This project will review 5 qualification and 194 units of competency that support training for the following occupations:
- Case manager
- Community services coordinator
- Home Helper
- Personal Care Assistant
- Support Worker
- Team leader
- Welfare Services Managers
Qualification
Our project will look at 5 community services qualifications and 8 associated skills sets:
You can provide us with any initial feedback on the current qualifications and units of competency by emailing details to
[email protected].
Project governance and consultation strategy
We have established a Technical Committee (TC) of experts to provide advice for the project. TC members are selected for their relevant expertise on the diverse aspects of the project.
View the Terms of Reference and Technical Committee members.
View our Project Consultation Strategy.
Nov 2024 - May 2025
Project development is underway to update the community services qualifications and ensure they are aligned with current industry needs, regulatory requirements, safety and wellbeing outcomes for clients, and create clear and sustainable career pathways to support existing and future growth in the industry.
A Technical Committee (TC) comprising of industry experts has been established to provide specialised advice for this project. Members were carefully selected based on their relevant expertise and experience in areas critical to the project. The TC will work with us to:
- identify relevant stakeholders to consult with
- provide insights on proposed communication and consultation strategies
- provide technical knowledge on the skills and knowledge required to meet graduate outcomes and workforce needs.
We will also undertake:
- desktop research
- a review of available information on industry standards, working conditions, and employer recruitment selection criteria
- virtual workshops to:
- explore the skills that organisations need
- identify career pathways for employees
- discuss foreseeable changes in the sector.
Functional Analysis
Our Functional Analysis Report used in-depth research to provides a clear and detailed overview of the diverse roles, functions, and skills required in the community sector.
We are committed to developing training products that meet industry standards and contribute to improving workforce readiness by identifying gaps and opportunities in skills development.
The report outlines key competencies needed to meet industry demands and supports workforce development by exploring nationally endorsed training pathways.
Methodology
To ensure accuracy and relevance, the functional analysis research process included desktop research and interviews.
Desktop research included reviews of job advertisements, organisational structures, industry reports and government labour market data to understand workforce skills requirements and identify emerging trends.
For the interviews, we engaged with employers, peak bodies, registered training organisations and subject matter experts to gather valuable insights into practical roles, functions, sub-functions, skills and knowledge requirements.
These conversations helped us identify the specific tasks, challenges, and competencies employers prioritise in various work settings.
We also gained a deeper understanding of employer expectations, current and future workforce needs to define functions and sub-functions to guide workforce development, and training product solutions for the sector.
Read the Functional Analysis Report