In-demand professions that offer job security

When considering a new career path, job satisfaction is obviously top of mind, but so too is  job security. Will it be difficult to find work in the profession? Is there room to grow and will it enable me to support my family? Such questions are important. Especially in a changing world where growing technology such as AI is impacting the future of work, it’s natural to consider which job paths are in demand and offer stable employment prospects.

You’ll be keen to learn that Australia is facing high demand for workers in several key industries, and in this blog, we’ll focus on three of these professions - aged care, disability services, and early childhood. Each rank within the top three industries for employment growth between 2023-2028, experiencing current nationwide worker shortages and strong future demand.

These professions count as ‘essential services’ because they’re dedicated to the wellbeing and development of people. In this blog post, we’ll dive deeper into why they’re in demand, the opportunities they offer workers, and how you can get started.

Aged care: supporting Australia’s ageing population

Aged care workers play a crucial role in ensuring that senior citizens receive the assistance they need to maintain their health and independence for as long as possible, across both residential and home care settings. 

In this role it is your responsibility to protect patients from physical harm, but you are also expected to provide a level of companionship to maintain their mental health. For a more in-depth look at what’s involved with aged care work, check out our guide on starting a career in aged care.

What’s fuelling industry demand and job growth in aged care?

Australia’s population is ageing fast. By 2026, over 22 percent of Australians will be aged over 65 — up from 16 percent in 2020, which was already double the 8.3 percent at the start of the 1970s. The reasons for this include the ‘baby boom’ of the 1950s and 1960s, increased life expectancy due to modern health measures, and declining birth rates. Despite previous inaction, it’s becoming clear to government and policymakers that community services and infrastructure must be reshaped as the population ages, to cater to the demand for aged care.

You may recall that Australia’s aged care preparedness and resourcing was tested during the Covid-19 pandemic. A 2021 report by Australia’s Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety recommended a five-year aged care reform program with a total $18.8 billion in funding, to tackle recommendations around: 

• Home care

• Residential aged care services and sustainability

• Residential quality and safety 

• Workforce

• Governance

Aiming to give aged care residents and their families confidence in greater access, quality and safety of aged care, the reforms rely on an increased workforce to deliver these benefits.

To this end, and according to economic modelling conducted in 2020, direct care aged care staff in Australia will need to grow by 70% – which is more than 130,000 additional full-time equivalent professionals – by 2050 to maintain current staffing levels.

What benefits can I expect in aged care?

With such a shortfall in staff to realise its targets in aged care, government bodies and regulators are working hard to address recruitment and training issues to enhance the conditions of aged care workers and the support they can provide. According to the 2024-2025 federal budget, residents now have 24/7 nursing and more care time, aged care workers are receiving better pay, and aged care providers are more transparent and accountable.

Looking to overcome aged care’s reputation as an under-resourced and under-funded industry, salary growth is a key step in persuading more workers to see aged care as a viable, long-term career path. Following a Fair Work ruling in 2023 and part of a phased wage increase, personal care workers in aged care will receive an increase of between 18.2% and 28.5%, depending on their skill and qualification level. It reinforces the value of the government-funded (CHC33021) Certificate III Individual Support to get qualified and give you the best possible start in your career. At Nepean Industry Edge Training (NIET), we equip you for success; check out our industry-leading aged care courses.

More flexibility for both aged care recipients and workers is another benefit of today’s aged care agenda. For instance, an extra 24,100 Home Care Packages in 2024–25 will reduce wait times to an average of six months and support more Australians to access in-home aged care than ever before. For more details on the different aged care settings in which you can work, consult our ‘Starting a career in aged care’ blog.

Disability services: empowering individuals and inclusive communities

In the field of disability, workers have the responsibility to ensure the safety of disabled individuals while they perform daily tasks, but another big part of the job is empowering them to maximise their abilities and engage in the community, whether it’s in social or employment settings. 

A deep understanding of your clients’ needs and building a solid rapport with them are key elements to your success and their welfare. For a more in-depth look at what’s involved with disability work, check out our guide,‘Starting a career in disability services’.

What’s fuelling industry demand and job growth in disability services?

Over 4 million people in Australia (1 in 5) have a disability, and of those people, 2.4 million need assistance with at least one area of activity. Furthermore, disabilities in Australia have increased between 2018 and 2022 for all age groups below 70 years of age, showing the  need for significantly more services and support to cater to this demand.

According to Australian Census data, higher disability representation has been linked to a growing awareness of disability in Australia, a general increase in the frequency of some long-term health conditions, an ageing population, and better self-reporting methods for people with a disability. And as the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) attracts more funding to provide disabled people with more affordable care, a surge of workers are needed to support the system. In the shorter term, it is estimated that 128,000 more workers are likely to be needed by June 2025, however this forms part of a larger, ongoing recruitment effort, where we can expect 1 in 20 jobs to be in the health and social care sector by 2050.

What benefits can I expect in disability services?

Since its formation and Australia-wide rollout in 2020, the NDIS has expanded the work opportunities for disability support workers and is poised to unlock even greater job prospects. It’s currently undergoing significant reform to improve service delivery to people with a disability plus workforce conditions, to overcome the difficulties in finding enough workers with the right values and skills to perform this important work.

Similar to the efforts in aged care, it’s a dynamic time for the disability sector; exploring new ways to attract, keep and train workers. Measures such as the NDIS Review are pushing for better availability of training and access to portable leave, greater ease to work across the care and support sector, more opportunities to progress their careers, and much-anticipated wage growth. What this all means is that disability support workers who are suitably qualified can expect to be in high demand over an extended period of time and have choice in their preferred employers.

Government funding for qualifications in caregiving, including the entry-level (CHC33021) Certificate III Individual Support, is available to get a solid start in disability services and make you eligible for future workforce benefits as they are announced. To keep your options open across caregiving work, you can also enrol in CHC43415 Certificate IV in Leisure and Health, which can be a dual qualification that offers training across aged care, disability services and community care sectors. Discover how NIET’s disability courses can help you fast-track your career.

Early childhood: shaping the hearts and minds of the future generation

Early childhood workers are responsible for creating a safe, engaging and supportive environment where young children can make a positive start to lifelong learning. Childcare workers design and implement age-appropriate learning activities to develop children’s essential cognitive, social, emotional, and physical skills and help them build foundational skills in areas like language, literacy, and numeracy. 

Creating plans to develop and measure each child’s progress, early childhood workers also collaborate with families to ensure that children’s needs are being met, both in the childcare centre and at home.

What’s fuelling industry demand and job growth in early childhood?

There’s a growing body of research and public awareness that quality early childhood education and care gives children important developmental opportunities and improves school readiness. Combined with the increase of dual-income households in Australia, and more recently, the return to the office post-pandemic, there is a greater reliance on early childhood education and care.

Nurturing this demand are a number of subsidised preschool programs across Australia in which the government covers part or all of the cost of the child’s attendance. Such steps to make preschool a desirable and affordable option for families demonstrate how early childhood funding is viewed as a fundamental investment in Australia’s economy. Policy reforms to improve the quality accessibility of early childhood education and care are also in play, with the industry expected to grow 21.6% by 2026.

According to data from the Australian Early Development Census (AEDC), the majority of children were developmentally on track in 2021. Yet too many children are still developmentally vulnerable when they transition to primary school (Australian Education Research Organisation), hence efforts to expand uptake and capacity within the industry. 

What benefits can I expect in early childhood?

Doing more to support young children’s developmental goals and expand uptake and capacity within the early childhood industry, has government and policymakers taking action; and it’s great news for those looking to enter the profession.

For instance, in June 2022, the Victorian state government announced expansion of its Best Start, Best Life reform with three major new initiatives including the popular ‘free kinder’ program which has reportedly opened up 6,000 job vacancies. It consists of:

• Making kinder free for three- and four-year-olds in participating services across the state.

• Transitioning Four-Year-old Kindergarten to ‘Pre-Prep’, a universal, 30-hour a week program of play-based learning.

• Establishing 50 government-owned and affordable childcare centres 6,000 new early childhood education jobs across Victoria.

Crucially, the Victorian scheme has offered funding and sign-up bonuses for early childhood teachers and educators taking up new roles. At a national level, early childhood workers are also being rewarded with a 15% government-funded wage increase beginning in December 2024 and phased in over two years, which will lift their annual wages by between $8,000 and $10,000.

This is in addition to government-funded (CHC30121) Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care; your ticket to becoming qualified in the sector. Learn why NIET’s early childhood courses can give you the industry edge.

Overview: a pathway to in-demand work and job security 

In weighing up the opportunities offered by aged care, disability services and early childhood professions in the Australian job market, you’ll notice they share some common traits. Each is earning substantial government investments and reforms aimed at enhancing these sectors to prioritise higher standards of care and workforce benefits. 

As essential services that were put under significant strain during the pandemic era, this period was a turning point for society in recognising the contribution of both the health and social care and the education sectors, and on the flip side, the risks of being under-resourced. Acting on this, there are extensive efforts underway to attract more workers and retain them through improved employment conditions and professional development, to boost morale and the quality of services they can provide.

These circumstances serve to not only increase job security and career prospects, but also give you the peace of mind that by choosing a career in aged care, disability services or early childhood, you can make a meaningful difference to your community while investing in your future. 

There’s never been a better time to enter these rewarding fields, so take the next step in your journey to job security with NIET’s industry-leading training.