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Dr Nerida VolkerBSc, Grad Dip Nut&Diet, Grad Dip Health Promotion, PhDIndustry Innovation Specialist, Health and Human Services | TAFE NSW and TAFE DIRECTORS AUSTRALIA (TDA)Dr Nerida Volker is Industry Innovation Specialist in Health and Human Services for TAFE NSW. Bringing together threads from her career she collaborates with industry to co-design solutions to workforce needs. Dr Nerida Volker has over 30 years’ experience in health and community services, starting as a dietitian and regional advisor in rural NSW. She has held strategic policy, program and consultancy roles at the international, national, state and territory levels. At the Dietitians Association of Australia, she led development of the dietetic workforce and in higher education she was an Assistant Professor in Nutrition and Dietetics and Public Health. |
Workshop
Toward a National Curriculum for Allied Health Assistants
There has been an expansion of the Allied Health Assistant (AHA) workforce across the health disability and aged care sectors in recent years. While this workforce is in high demand, the rapid growth and diversity in job roles has increased the need for greater collaboration across the allied health system, including with the VET sector. There are several barriers to improving the quality and consistency of VET sector AHA training across Australia including a small expert VET teacher workforce, limited access to work placements, poor integration with Allied Health Professional education and a national training package failing to keep pace with contemporary practice.
Several factors have combined to create an opportunity to address these issues and for co-design of national AHA curriculum. In the skills sector there is a new AHA national training package and a buoyant reform environment open to disruption. Additionally, the creation of enabling structures including the TAFE Directors Australia (TDA) National Advisory Council on Allied Health and the Allied Health Assistants National Association (AHANA) provide the mechanisms needed to connect the with existing allied health professional, education, government and regulatory bodies towards a collective response to workforce challenges now and into the future.
This workshop will provide an opportunity to learn about allied health assistance training and to contribute to an innovative co-design and co-development process on the cutting edge of education and skills reform in Australia. We invite representatives from higher education, professional associations, regulators and standards agencies, allied health professionals, allied health assistants, employers and consumers to participate in this nationally significant workshop.