1. Art and Diseño

Skilled Occupation
List (SOL) 2015-16
Tracking Code:
T43RA4
Name
Individual *
Ms Kym Daly
Organisation
Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW)
What are the industry/industries and ANZSCO occupation/s that you or your
organisation represents for the purposes of this submission?
Industry
Professional
Education and Training
Health Care and Social Assistance
Other Services
Occupation
The three dropdowns below accord with the ABS ANZSCO classification of occupations.
Selections are required at the ‘Occupation Group’ 2-digit level and at the ‘Occupation Unit (4-digit)’
level, but can also be made down to the Occupation (6-digit) level depending on the occupation/s
to which your submission relates.
Additional occupations can be selected by way of the ‘Add item’ button.
For each occupation selected, please indicate whether your advice is to Include, Exclude, or is
Neutral (other) with respect to the 2015-16 SOL. The rest of the form can be used to provide
evidence/reasons to support your recommendations. Attachments can also be added after clicking
the 'Submit' button.
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Item 1
Occupation Group *
Legal, Social and Welfare Professionals
Occupation Unit *
Social Workers
Occupation
Social Worker 272511
Summary advice for 2015-16 SOL *
Include
Exclude
Neutral
Are there any occupations that you represent where there is evidence of imbalances
in the demand for and supply of skills in the medium-to-long term? *
Demand for social workers is expected to continue to grow as per the Australian Government
Job Outlook projections. (http://joboutlook.gov.au/occupation.aspx?
search=keyword&tab=stats&cluster=&code=2725)
The following is a snapshot of the job prospects for Social Workers as reported on Job Outlook:
Indicators
Level for Social
Workers
How does unemployment (for Social Workers) compare with other occupations? Below average
What has been the long-term employment growth - 10 years (%)?
158.4%
What has been the medium-term employment growth - 5 years (%)?
82.9%
(compared to 6.5 for other occupations)
What has been the short-term employment growth - 2 years (%)?
57.4% (compared
to 1.9% for other occupations)
What will be the likely future employment growth for the next five years?
Strong
growth
Social work is an ageing profession, which will continue to impact on the supply of Social
Workers in Australia. According to the Australian Government Job Outlook data, 44% of those
who identify as being a Social Worker are aged 45+. This ageing of the profession is also
reflected in the AASW membership profile with 58% of our members being over 45 years of age
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and 3.5% of these members are fully retired. Social work is also a profession which is female
dominated. According to our membership statistics 79% of our members are female.
Further, the Australian Government Job Outlook figures indicate that there is a shortage of
qualified social work professionals to meet workforce demand. The figures indicate employers
are being required to recruit staff with lower qualifications. For example, the Job Outlook figures
show that 28.2% of people employed as social workers have qualifications lower than the
minimum educational attainment of a four year AASW accredited Bachelor of Social Work or a
relevant three year undergraduate degree followed by a two year AASW accredited Master of
Social Work.
These figures are also supported by research conducted by Karen Healy and Bob Lonne in their
publication, 'The social work and human services workforce: Report from a National Study of
Education, Training and Workforce Needs’, which summarises some of the key issues for the
social work and human services workforce into the future to be:
•
“An undersupply of professionally qualified social work and human services workforce to
meet work force demands
•
Rapid ageing of the workforce with many workers approaching retirement
•
Limited career and salary structures creating disincentives to retention
•
A highly diverse qualifications base across the workforce. This diversity is inconsistent
with the specialist knowledge and skills required of practitioners in many domains of community
service provision”
(Healy & Lonne, 2010, Pg 5)
It is critical for the protection of the public and the upholding of professional standards that
people employed in Social Worker jobs hold the minimum educational attainment of a four year
Bachelor degree or equivalent, and that employers are not forced to recruit staff to social work
positions that have lower qualifications and/or qualifications from a different field.
In the 2013/14 financial year, the Australian Association of Social Workers received 352
applications for overseas qualifications assessments. This represented an approximately 10%
increase on the number of applications received in 2012/13 (317 applications). The most
common countries of social work training outside Australia were the United Kingdom, New
Zealand, Ireland, India, USA, South Africa and Canada.
There has also been a steady increase over the past several years in the number of
internationally qualified social workers who are applying to have their overseas qualifications
assessed for AASW membership eligibility purposes only (that is, they have not sought a
migration skills assessment).
In 2013/14, 121 applicants applied for an AASW membership eligibility assessment only, which
represented a 24% increase on the number of applications (91) received in 2012/13. In 2011/12,
70 applications were received for membership eligibility assessment (23% increase on previous
year).
While an AASW membership eligibility assessment is a separate process to a migration skills
assessment, the increasing number of social workers seeking AASW membership eligibility is a
further indication that internationally qualified social workers are in demand in Australia, as
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AASW membership eligibility is increasingly the benchmark for social work employment in
Australia.
Is there evidence of imbalances in the demand for and supply of skills in the
medium-to-long term in non-metropolitan areas?
If so, can you indicate in what part of Australia and the number in the occupation in over or undersupply.
A 2013 survey of AASW Accredited Mental Health Social Workers (AMHSW) found that the
practice locations of Social Workers were slightly higher in regional and remote areas than the
general population distribution.
Geographic location of AMHSWs practice by % AMHSW responses and ABS population data
Answer Options
% AASW Response
ABS % population distribution
data 2009
Major City (inner & outer)
59.7
64
Regional Australia (inner & outer) 36.1
33.7
Remote and very remote Australia
4.1
2.3
Australian Association of Social Workers, 2014, Submission to The Hon Peter Dutton MP,
Minister for Health Re: Rebate equity for Accredited Mental Health Social Workers to that of
Registered Psychologists providing clinical interventions under Medicare Australia’s ‘Better
Access’ program. http://www.aasw.asn.au/document/item/6329
The AASW runs Horizons Career Centre which among other services has a facility whereby
employers can advertise jobs. Of the 328 social work job advertisements placed in 2013/14, 219
were in capital cities. 109 were in regional areas of Australia. Thus 33% of the social work
positions advertised were for positions outside the capital cities. This is a significant proportion of
the total positions advertised.
Are there any occupations which require formal licensing or registration
arrangements in order to practice/perform in this occupation?
For example:
• Midwives are required to register with the nurses board in their state or territory
• Panelbeaters are required to be registered or certified with the state Motor Vehicle Repair
Industry Authority
Social work, in Australia, is currently a self-regulating profession with no formal licensing
arrangements.
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The AASW is the standard setting body for social work in Australia and eligibility for AASW
membership is the benchmark for employers seeking to employ Social Workers.
Further, in 2013/14 the AASW developed a new credentialing process for employers, with the
introduction of an Accreditation program for professionally qualified Social Workers in Australia.
AASW Accredited Social Workers can identify as such by displaying a legally protected trade
mark logo.
AASW Accreditation confirms for employers, the public and others that a Social Worker has:
•
A legitimate professional qualification in social work
•
A positive assessment of their overseas social work qualification to confirm Australian
equivalency, and confirmation of English language skills, where applicable
•
Accountability to the AASW Code of Ethics
•
Completed the minimum amount of annual continuing professional development
•
A recognised professional credential to provide Medicare and other Government funded
mental health services, where applicable
•
Current professional indemnity and public liability insurance coverage
The AASW Accredited Trade Mark registration is increasingly becoming the standard sought by
employers.
As at 30 June 2014, the Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW) had 7,854 members
nationwide.
The objectives of the AASW are to:
•
to promote the profession of social work;
•
to enhance the public and professional recognition and identity of social work;
•
to establish, monitor and improve practice and ethical standards;
•
to contribute to the development of social work knowledge and research;
•
to develop, review and accredit the education standards for social workers;
•
to advocate for the pursuit of social justice and changes to social structures and policies in
order to promote social inclusion and redress social disadvantage;
•
to promote and facilitate members’ professional development and life-long learning; and
•
to represent and advocate for the interests of members as a group.
Is it expected that your employment sector will be impacted by any medium-to-long
term trends which will impact upon demand and/or supply (excluding costs
associated with training, labour hire, and international sponsorship)?
Please provide evidence (e.g. data source, policy document) which substantiates
these claims.
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For example:
• New benchmarks for childcare centres mandate increased staff-to-child ratios and higher
qualification standards for childcare workers.
As per the Australian Government Job Outlook figures, strong future employment growth is
projected for Social Work in Australia over the next five years. It is expected that strong demand
(that is, strong employment growth and below average unemployment for Social Workers,
coupled with an ageing Australian social work workforce), will continue to impact upon the supply
of an Australian Social Work workforce in the medium to long term.
Please provide any other information you consider relevant evidence to support your
submission
For example, you may know of some independent studies about your occupation that supports
your advice to us.
A professional social work qualification in Australia requires the completion of either a four year
Bachelor Degree in Social Work or a relevant undergraduate degree followed by a two year
Master of Social Work.
Would you like to make any additional comments on the SOL?
The AASW has continued to experience a steady increase in the number of applications for
migration skills assessments in the past several years. In 2010/11 we received 154 applications
for migration skills assessments; in 2011/12 we received 214; in 2012/13 we received 226; and
in 2013/14 we received 231 applications.
Please provide the name, position and contact details of a person within your
organisation who is willing to be contacted if any further information or follow-up is
required.
Name *
Ms Kym Daly
Position *
Senior Manager Professional Standards, AASW
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Contact details *
PO Box 2008
Royal Melbourne Hospital VIC 3050
T: 03 9320 1066
E: [email protected]
All information, including name and address details, contained in submissions will be made
available to the public on the Department of Industry website unless you indicate that you would like
all or part of your submission to remain in confidence. Automatically generated confidentiality
statements in emails do not suffice for this purpose. Respondents who would like all or part of their
submission to remain in confidence should provide this information in an email to SOL@industry.
gov.au . Legal requirements, such as those imposed by the Freedom of Information Act 1982, may
affect the confidentiality of your submission.
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