The Aged Services IRC has been established to respond to relevant recommendations in the Aged Care Workforce Strategy and to ensure that the national education and training system is able to deliver an agile workforce that can provide safe and quality care to older Australians in a variety of settings. This includes addressing the current and future competencies and skill requirements for new workers entering the sector and existing staff needing to upskill in both the vocational education and training (VET) and higher education sectors.
The Aged Services IRC is responsible for:
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reforming national training package qualifications and skill sets needed by the aged services industry
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examining new approaches to career structuring and progression in the sector, and the education pathways needed to support these
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scoping opportunities for collaboration across VET, higher education and a range of industry sectors to tackle the challenges of an ageing society
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working with other IRCs which have an interest in qualifications relevant to the aged services sector to ensure industry needs are considered and met.
The Aged Services IRC is supported by SkillsIQ (a Skills Service Organsiation). For more information about the IRC and how you can get involved, please contact SkillsIQ.
While it was not possible to include every nominee on the IRC, it is important to remember that SkillsIQ and the IRC will consult widely with all interested stakeholders and existing IRCs as appropriate to progress the work of the committee.
In addition, the Aged Services IRC will establish a number of ‘specific interest’ advisory committees to provide high-level strategic and policy advice to support the work of the IRC. See below for more information, including how to register your interest in participating in an advisory committee.
Further information about the role of IRCs and how they will operate can be found in the IRC Operating Framework..
You are also welcome to submit any questions to the AISC Secretariat at sectoralpolicy@education.gov.au.
Aged Services IRC – Structure and membership
| Category | Organisation or area of expertise | Member | State/Territory |
| Skills and competencies / profession based organisations | Australian Association of Gerontology | Associate Professor Christine Stirling (University of Tasmania) |
Tas |
| Australian College of Nursing | Adjunct Professor Kyile Ward | ACT | |
| Royal Australian College of General Practitioners | Dr Denise Ruth | Vic | |
| Allied Health Professionals Australia | Mr Tim Henwood (Southern Cross Care) |
SA | |
| Occupational Therapy Australia | Ms Anita Volkert | Vic | |
| Palliative Care Australia | Professor Patsy Yates (Queensland University of Technology) |
Qld | |
| Dementia Australia | Dr David Sykes (Centre for Dementia Learning) |
Vic | |
| Mental Health expertise | Professor Kim Ryan (Australian College of Mental Health Nurses) |
ACT | |
| Assistive Technology expertise | Ms Robyn Chapman (Assistive Technology Australia) |
NSW | |
| COTA Australia | Mr Ian Yates | ACT | |
| Carers Australia | Ms Jayne Ryan | Qld | |
| Employer representatives and peak bodies | Leading Aged Services Australia (LASA) | Mr Ian Hardy AM - CHAIR (Helping Hand Aged Care) |
SA |
| Aged and Community Services Australia (ACSA) | Mr Mark Sewell (Warrigal Care) |
NSW | |
| Aged Care Guild | Mr Ross Johnston (Regis Aged Care) |
Vic | |
| Representative from Industry Accord on the remote aged care workforce | Mr Chris Hall AM (Juniper) |
WA | |
| Independent / aligned aged care services provider | Ms Sonya Smart (Villa Maria Catholic Homes) |
Vic | |
| Employee representatives | Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation (ANMF) | Mr Robert Bonner - DEPUTY CHAIR | SA |
| United Voice | Ms Melissa Coad | NSW | |
| Health Services Union (HSU) | Ms Leigh Svendsen | Vic | |
| Education and training | Universities Australia | Ms Rachel Yates | ACT |
| TAFE Directors Australia | Ms Mish Eastman (Swinburne University) |
Vic | |
| Total | 21 members |
Aged Services Advisory Committees
The following ‘specific interest’ advisory committees will be established to support the work of the Aged Services IRC by providing high-level strategic and policy advice. SkillsIQ will conduct a separate nominations process for these committees once the IRC has been established. For more information, including registering your interest in participating in an advisory committee, please fill in your details at the SkillsIQ - Aged Services IRC page.
| Advisory Committee | Details |
| Consumer Needs and Expectations | Consumer advocacy groups and individuals. |
| Residential Care | Peaks, associations, others with a focus on acute (hospital) and/or residential care, industry/employer representatives; may also include food services representatives. |
| Home Care and Community Care | Peaks, associations, others with a focus on home care and community care, industry/employer representatives. |
| Indigenous and Remote Services | Employers, employees and other stakeholders representing Indigenous and remote interests. |
| Diversity and Inclusion | Employers, employees and other stakeholders representing culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD); lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI); disability; homeless and disadvantaged; and other diversity group interests. |
| Dementia | Peaks, associations, industry/employers, others with a focus on dementia. |
| Palliative Care | Peaks, associations, industry/employers, others with a focus on palliative care. |
| Mental Health | Peaks, associations, industry/employers, others with a focus on mental health. |
| Pathways and Tertiary Education | Registered training organisations (including peak bodies), universities, others as appropriate. |
| Nutrition and the Mealtime Experience | Peaks, associations, industry/employers, others with a focus on the nutritional needs of older Australians. |