This week's featured jobs are a number of Traineeships and Cadetships, as part of the Aboriginal Jobs Together program, which are available throughout NSW.

The program provides job opportunities for Aboriginal people to work in non-government organisations in the disability sector in various types of roles; from disability support, to social work to human resource management.

The Traineeships and Cadetships are being offered in the following locations:

• Sydney Metropolitan
• North Coast
• Mid-North Coast
• New England
• North West Slopes and Plains
• Newcastle/Hunter/Central Coast
• Orange/Far West
• Riverina/Murray
• Illawarra

For more information and application details please visit the carecareers website.

The National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) could be implemented sooner than expected, after a decision from the first meeting of the COAG* Select Council on Disability Reform, chaired by Federal Ministers Wayne Swan and Jenny Macklin.
 
This means that the 'launch sites' (which are yet to be identified) originally planned for mid-2014, are now scheduled to start in mid-2013.

Certain reforms will be needed for the NDIS to work:

• increased disability sector capacity
• a significantly enlarged workforce with appropriate skills
• national quality standards
• a suite of common assessment tools

We welcome the new timetable for the NDIS, given the urgent need for disability services. But a concerted and coordinated effort will be required on many fronts to meet the timetable.

NDS** is developing a paper on equipping disability service providers for the NDIS. It will outline the implications of the NDIS (and associated reforms) for disability service providers, identify pressure points, document current resources and projects available to assist service providers and recommend actions to bridge the gap between what is available and what is needed. We’ll keep you updated with developments, and please let us know what you think.

Discussion of the implications of the NDIS for service providers and next steps will feature at NDS’s CEO Meeting on 5-6 December in Canberra.

* COAG = Council of Australian Governments (ie State and Commonwealth)
** NDS = National Disability Services (responsible for carecareeers)

Follow the carecareers blog for more updates about the sector!

We'd like to introduce Max Burke, one of our other Talent Advisors, as guest writer for this blog. In this post he writes about the challenges of changing careers and how a career quiz can help to make things a little clearer.

The sea of jargon and information facing new applicants entering the disability and community care sector is undoubtedly daunting. Cast out in a small raft amongst lists of pros and cons, warnings and advice from family and friends, it can be a very intimidating time. I like to think of carecareers as the lighthouse atop the cliff, guiding people safely into the calm waters of a new career.

However, carecareers does more than just guide you to shore when the waves get a bit rough. The journey isn’t the same for everyone and carecareers won’t leave you without a few paddles to help you find your way safely to shore. The team has spent the last 2 years preparing its 'paddles' of fact sheets, resumé tips, training guides, case studies, and of course the sometimes overlooked but extremely useful career quiz.

The career quiz, whilst light-hearted in its approach, is an excellent launch point for your new endeavour for two key reasons. Firstly, it forces you to reflect on who you are as you select choices from the pictures provided. Then, the progression leads you to question who you could become in the future. Having done the quiz a few times now, I always find it encourages self reflection about where I am going and what it is that I want to achieve.

The second reason the quiz is important is that it highlights the collective journey all candidates take. Regardless of your background, each individual is called to refocus and reinvigorate their career (and arguably their lives). Asking the appropriate questions of you, the quiz embodies the notion that we aren’t alone in our pursuit of change and that there are others out there, in the same sea, looking for the same thing.

Realistically, an online careers test will never take the place of sound careers advice offered by carecareers, educational institutions and organisations within the industry. We prefer to think of it as a nudge in the right direction, and ultimately just another paddle that the carecareers team can give you. This paddle isn’t made of wood, though; it’s one of those really flash carbon-fibre ones!

Take our fun career quiz now.

Smooth sailing,

Max
Talent Advisor and  Lighthouse Keeper

We regularly feature stories on the carecareers website from people who are already working in the NSW disability and community care sector or who are are completely new to it. They work in all types of roles too, from CEOs, to physios, marketing professionals and frontline support workers.

Our latest story is from Julie Walton, Conferences and Events Manager at National Disability Services:

"I’m a Conference and Events Manager at National Disability Services (NDS) and my typical day revolves around planning for upcoming conferences and events. My role is to work through the process of event management which includes seeking suitable venues, sourcing and liaising with contractors, marketing and sponsorship, delegate registrations and onsite management. To manage this, I have a comprehensive timeline which I constantly refer to and update to ensure that I’m on track..."

Read Julie's full carecareers story.

We're in need of two new Talent Advisors for 4-6 weeks from late January 2011.

Our team of Talent Advisors work in our Careers Centre, which supports both hiring managers and candidates in their recruitment needs, within the disability and community care sector of NSW.

Our new temps will assist our full time Talent Advisors with inbound calls, uploading vacancies to the carecareers website and admin support.

What does the Careers Centre do?

• Provides advice on best practice recruitment processes
• Recommendations on best practice job advertising
• Assistance with the development of job descriptions
• Talent pool searches for relevant registered candidates
• Best practice guidance on interview techniques
• Auto alerts to registered candidates that match job criteria
• Enquiry management both online and via 1300 637 637
• Response management (acknowledgment only)
• Delivery of potential candidates from applications
• Advice on offer management
• Access to our Employer Directory where employers can upload information about their organisation for candidates to access

If you're interested in finding out more about the temp roles or how our Talent Advisors can assist you please contact our Careers Centre  - email info@carecareers.com.au or call 1300 637 637.