You’ve heard the old saying, “The grass is always greener on the other side of the fence”, right? I was reminded today just how true it is. I attended the launch of the Aged & Community Services WA (ACSWA) Aged Care Jobs Portal. I developed the content for the website, which is the focal point for a strategic initiative to attract aged care workers to WA. Let me back up a bit.
I spent five years selling software in the international market. Most of it was call face selling in countries where I didn’t know anyone. Cold calling was a necessity and I developed a very thick skin while honing my international business skills. Using sales jargon, I was a “hunter”, but always considered the grass was greener on the “farmer” side of the equation.
Guaranteed Sales
When I was offered an appointment to the board at Braemar Presbyterian Care, I was delighted to be in an industry where no one worries too much about sales. The aging population in Australia guarantees a steady stream of clients. While each organisation is acutely aware of their occupancy rates, the problems usually lean towards managing a waiting list, not finding potential clients.
Combating the Resources Boom
Arguably, the aged care industry is facing a much tougher issue attracting staff. The resources boom at the beginning of the last decade made it extremely difficult to find anyone to work in the sector. Young people have abandoned the opportunity for satisfying careers in lieu of high-paying jobs in the mining industry. The Minister for Training and Workforce Development, the Hon. Peter Collier, eloquently expressed his concern about the trend. Mining is suited to young people but doesn’t impart lifetime skills or long-term employment prospects for their unskilled employees.
Creative Marketing
The aged care industry in Western Australia knows it is facing another resources boom. The new website is a way to encourage people to choose careers in the aged care sector. They’re effectively using video clips of aged care workers on the jobs portal to demonstrate how rewarding it is to pursue work in a diverse and expanding business. Many more initiatives are being planned. It’s an exciting time to be in aged care.
Now that I’ve had a look at the other side of the fence, it’s obvious the grass isn’t greener at all. Hunting for new clients is far easier than trying to service a sector where the benefits are not as obvious as a fat pay packet. I’m impressed with the creative and professional approach ACSWA is taking to combat this looming problem. While no one likes to consider the possibility of life touched by aged care, I certainly want it staffed with the best people when my time comes. I encourage you to broadcast the link to the jobs portal and consider how a career in aged care could help you or someone you know. Personally, I can think of no other work more important.
When did you discover the grass is not always greener?
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