Federal Budget 2024: Positive News for Aged Care Workers

an aged care worker with an elderly woman

In the recently unveiled Federal Budget 2024-2025, the Australian government has taken measures to address the ongoing needs of the aged care sector. With a focus on improving the quality of elderly care and ensuring welfare for care workers, positive implements have been introduced to sustain and support the aged care system in Australia. Here’s what you need to know as an aged care worker! 

an aged care worker with an elderly woman

Wage increases for aged care workers 

A budget of $11.3 billion has been assigned to support a 15 per cent wage increase for care workers over four years from 2023-24. This is projected to benefit over 250,000 aged care workers with low pay. 

Investment into fostering a skillful workforce 

To encourage and facilitate the skills development of the sector’s workforce, the Government is investing $87.2 million in supporting, attracting, and retaining aged care workers. This investment goes into maintaining programs that provide specialised training for elderly care nurses and promote aged care as an appealing career path. 

Furthermore, $2.54 billion is invested in vocational and other education, indicating significant support and opportunities for individuals training in healthcare. The increased budget for vocational education in the upcoming period is especially beneficial for expanding the aged care workforce. With a projected shortage of 440,000 aged care workers in Australia by 2050, there is a pressing need for improved training and working conditions for these healthcare individuals.  

Improvements to the aged care system 

As a response to recommendations of the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety, the government is investing $2.2 billion into aged care reforms. This commitment aims to enhance care quality for the elderly while meeting the training and work rights of aged care staff. 

In summary, the Budget 2024-2025 allocates a considerable proportion into improving the training and working conditions of aged care workers. With increased opportunities to receive professional training and career advantages, it is a good call for individuals to break into the aged care industry. If you have attained a certificate III – the most common level requirement within the industry, you can earn a base rate of $32.21 hourly.  

At Global Business College of Australia, we offer the pathway to a rewarding career in personal care through the Certificate III in Individual Support. The course delivers comprehensive knowledge about aged care while preparing students to be job-ready through practical assessments and work placement. To embark on a fulfilling journey into the aged care sector, enquire today.  

Building a Professional LinkedIn Profile: A Student’s Guide

In today’s digital age, your online presence can easily become your resume. How well you present yourself online can have a direct impact on the first impressions from employers. For students stepping into the professional world, LinkedIn is a dynamic platform to showcase your background, skills, and achievements. Here’s how you can develop a compelling LinkedIn profile that not only reflects your current accomplishments but also paves the way for future opportunities.  

1. Start with a Professional Profile Photo

As your profile photo tends to make the first impression for recruiters, choose a clear, professional photo with a smart outfit, simple background, and good lighting. If you want to take a step further, you may seek professional photographers to shoot your profile photos. You might be able to find them at photobooths during career events on campus. As your profile picture can speak volumes about your professionalism, invest time and effort in producing a quality photo.  

2. Craft a Compelling Headline

Your headline/ title should express yourself beyond your current student status. To fully deliver how you perceive your professional trajectory, also include your future aspirations. This may address what you hope to achieve, or the field in which you would like to work after finishing your studies. Phrases like “Aspiring Marketing Professional” or “Computer Science Student & Tech Enthusiast” can provide useful insights into your ambitions. If you need ideas for your headline, you can check out the profiles of workers you admire or recent alumni.  

3. Summarise Your Story

The summary section is the key point of your profile. It’s where you can highlight your academic achievements, qualifications, and goals. Be genuine and mention what you’re passionate about, the skills you have, why your chosen field perfectly fits you, and how you aim to impact the field.  

4. Showcase Your Experience

Here you can include your working experience, including part-time jobs, paid/unpaid internships, volunteer work, and extracurricular activities. Describe your responsibilities and achievements in each role, focusing on what you learned and how you contributed. Don’t worry if you do not have a long work history. You can highlight your volunteer experience or extracurricular activities, and these experiences may also be highly evaluated by recruiters. Use action verbs and clarify your accomplishments with numbers or percentages when possible.  

5. Detail Your Educational Background

Regarding educational background, you should include your college, major, and expected graduation date. To provide more context to your academic dedication and interests, consider listing relevant courses, your GPA (if impressive), and any honours or awards.  

6. Highlight Skills and Endorsements

List skills relevant to your career goals, and encourage classmates, professors, and past employers to endorse the skills. These validations add credibility to your profile. If you’re not sure which skills to mention, have a look at some job descriptions in your field and identify the skills highlighted.

7. Engage with Your Network

After completing your profile, start connecting with peers, alumni, and professionals in your field of interest. Actively participate in discussions, share relevant articles, and congratulate connections on their achievements. Remind yourself that networking is about building relationships, not just increasing your connection count.  

8. Get Recommendations

Aside from endorsements on your skills, you can also get recommendations from professors, supervisors, or colleagues, which provides a personal touch to your profile. They are powerful testimonials of your character and work ethic.  

9. Be an Active Participant

Regularly update your profile with new achievements, projects, or learning experiences. A dynamic profile shows that you are evolving and actively engaged in professional development.  

Conclusion  

Your LinkedIn profile is more than a digital resume; it’s the narrative of your professional journey. For students, it’s a platform to articulate not only where you’ve been but also where you’re headed. By thoughtfully crafting each section, you set the stage for your future career, opening doors to opportunities that align with your aspirations and values.  

Follow GBCA’s social media and blog for regular updates on current student events and useful insights!  

 

References 

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/10-tips-students-new-grads-linkedin-omar-garriott/  

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/how-optimize-your-linkedin-account-even-youvenever-had-parker-pell/ 

The Job of a Bookkeeper: A Comprehensive Overview 

A bookkeeper plays an important role in managing a business’s financial transactions, such as income, expenses, and liabilities. Hence, bookkeepers are in high demand across all industries. In this blog, we are going to explore the daily tasks of a bookkeeper, salary expectations, and requirements to become one. 

The day-to-day tasks of a bookkeeper  

While the work of a bookkeeper varies depending on the needs of the business, they are commonly expected to handle the following main tasks (according to the Victorian Skill Gateway): 

  • Keeping financial records, and maintaining and balancing accounts using manual and computerised systems 
  • Monitoring cash flow and lines of credit 
  • Producing financial statements, budget and expenditure reports and analyses along with account books, ledgers and accounting software packages 
  • Preparing invoices, purchase orders and bank deposits 
  • Reconciling accounts against monthly bank statements 
  • Verifying recorded transactions and reporting issues to management 

Salary expectations and working arrangement 

The average annual salary for bookkeepers in Australia ranges from $65,000 to $80,000 per year, or $30-40 per hour. Entry-level positions start at $65,000 per year, while most experienced workers make up to $90,000 per annual. According to the Australian government’s Labour Market Insights, 75% of workers earn more than $1031 per week, and 25% of workers earn more than $1412 per week. 

Bookkeeping can be done on a part-time or full-time basis, making this a flexible career option for those who have family or study commitments outside of work. Furthermore, the rise of cloud-based accounting software allows even more locational flexibility for bookkeepers, as they can work from anywhere. With such a significant perk, only 33% of employed bookkeepers are working full-time hours. 

Skill requirements 

As bookkeepers are required to deal with long lists of financial transactions and assist the cash flow of a business, being accurate and responsible are critical attributes. Here are other skill requirements crucial for the job. 

  • Fundamental accounting and business knowledge 
  • Understanding accounting best practices 
  • Being detail-oriented 
  • Strong analytical thinking skills 
  • Technical proficiency in accounting software, such as MYOB, Xero and Quickbooks etc. 
  • Proficiency in Microsoft Excel 
  • Professionalism and organisation skills 

How to become a bookkeeper 

Bookkeepers are in high demand in Australia, particularly in small and medium-sized businesses. With the increasing focus on financial management and record keeping, bookkeepers are an essential part of any organisation. To become a bookkeeper, you should enrol in Certificate IV in Accounting and Bookkeeping.  

The Certificate IV in Accounting and Bookkeeping course reflects the job roles of contract bookkeepers and employees executing bookkeeping tasks for different organisations.  

GBCA offers a Certificate IV in Accounting and Bookkeeping program that covers essential practical skills such as processing financial transactions and extracting interim reports, administering subsidiary accounts and ledgers, and establishing and maintaining payroll systems. Through the course, you acquire the knowledge and skills to manage a variety of situations in financial transactions and become an essential part in business operation.  

If you are interested in starting your career as a bookkeeping professional, enrol in Certificate IV in Accounting and Bookkeeping today or reach out to us via enquiries@gbca.edu.au for any further questions. 

 

Recommended reads 

Unlock Your Potential with a Bookkeeper Course at GBCA | GBCA  

Certificate IV in Accounting and Bookkeeping: A Course Overview | GBCA