The Community Services and Health industry provides a large and diverse range of services designed to support individuals, families and communities. These include:

• child care
• aged care
• support for people with disabilities
• hospital and dental care
• community support
• social work.

Government and non-government organisations work in settings such as hospitals, medical centres, community health centres and mobile clinics to provide services in:

• raising awareness of health issues
• diagnosing and treating illness and injury
• providing rehabilitation and palliative care.

Community Services and Health has been the fastest growing industry in the past five years, with 157 000 new jobs created, increasing at one and a half times the rate of industry overall. This trend is expected to continue, fuelled by demands from an ageing population, demands for high levels of community health care, and growth in child care needs.

The industry also faces challenges relating to an ageing workforce, poor gender balance and a current low number of young people in the workforce. However, it is expected that Generation Y will find the industry attractive due to its flexibility, transportable skills which are in high demand overseas and opportunities to ‘make a difference’ in people’s lives.  

The Community Services and Health industry is involved in programs aimed at building their future workforce. Career awareness strategies, the VET in Schools program and apprenticeship opportunities exist in aged care, community services, child care and nursing. There are also models aimed at attracting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students.