Transforming aged care workforce readiness through microcredentials – Inside Ageing

How it works

The program focuses on breaking down complex training into manageable, skill-specific courses with three levels of support: Standby, Partial, and Full Assistance. For example:

• Showering & Bathing:

• Standby Assistance: Help with setting up equipment.

• Partial Assistance: Support with hard-to-reach areas.

• Full Assistance: Complete hygiene care training.

• Mobility Assistance:

• Standby: Verbal prompting and supervision.

• Partial: Hands-on physical support.

• Full: Support with complex mobility aids.

Helpers access the courses via LearnUpon, a digital learning management system featuring video, audio, and written content. Each level includes knowledge assessments, and Full Assistance levels include in-person, practical evaluations with Training Facilitators to ensure skill application is safe and effective.

Training content is underpinned by CHCCCS031 Provide Individualised Support, and aligns with ASQA’s Principles of Assessment and Rules of Evidence.

Evidence of success

FGF’s micro-credentialing program has delivered outstanding results:

• 686 Helpers upskilled across personal care and mobility support.

• Training times reduced from 61 days to as little as 8 days.

• Training costs dropped from $360 to $41 per Helper.

• Helper attrition reduced from 4.3% to just 1.1%.

Feedback has been overwhelmingly positive. Across both courses, 94% or more of participants agreed or strongly agreed that they gained knowledge and confidence in their new skills. Many expressed appreciation for the program’s clarity, flexibility, and relevance.

This project demonstrates how innovation, inclusivity, and data-driven training design can solve sector-wide challenges. By focusing on flexibility, relevance, and person-centred demand, FGF has created a replicable, scalable model that balances operational efficiency with improved continuity of care and workforce empowerment.

Five Good Friends was a presenter at the 2024 Future of Ageing Awards.

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https://insideageing.com.au/transforming-aged-care-workforce-readiness-through-microcredentials/