EMPLOYMENT CAREERS & TRAINING
In the City of Greater Shepparton, Health Care and Social Assistance is the largest employer, generating 7,811 local jobs in 2022/23. An analysis of the jobs held
Follow your passion with GOTAFE
OPEN days are a great opportunity for people considering further study, allowing you to explore subject areas, career paths, talk to careers advisors and make informed decisions about your future.
School leavers can gain an understanding of study and career pathways, find out what areas interest them and learn what tertiary education is all about.
For people who are re-entering the workforce, looking for a change in career direction or returning to study, open days provide an opportunity to experience different fields and learn about pathways into university.
Julie-Anne Bamblett-McGee is a testament to the power of education pathways between TAFE and Universities.
Now a Registered Nurse, Julie-Ann completed a Diploma of Nursing (HLT54121) at GOTAFE and a Bachelor of Nursing at La Trobe University Shepparton.
She was also supported by the Academy of Sport, Health and Education (ASHE) in Shepparton.
“GOTAFE definitely helped me prepare for further study,” she said.
Julie-Anne now works full-time at Rumbalara Medical Clinic, where she is changing lives and improving access to healthcare.
Getting to where she is now hasn’t come without its challenges.
“Juggling parenting, working and studying was extremely difficult,” she said. “GOTAFE helped me make it through the course as a single parent.”
No matter how challenging juggling study, work and parenting got, Julie-Anne’s passion for nursing shone through.
GOTAFE is holding a series of Open Days during August, giving community members the chance to learn more about career and education opportunities.
Whether you are just starting out in your career, aiming for a career change, upskilling or seeking professional growth –YOU’VE GOT THIS!
Visit www.gotafe.vic.edu.au to learn more, register for GOTAFE’s Open Days, or browse course offerings.
The major differences between the jobs held by local workers in the City of Greater Shepparton and Victoria were:
A largest percentage of local workers employed in Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing (8.6% compared to 2.1% in Victoria)
A smaller percentage of workers employed in Professional, Scientific and Technical Services (5.2% compared to 9.8% in Victoria).
A largest percentage of local workers employed in Health Care and Social Assistance (21.3% compared to 14.9% in Victoria)
A smaller percentage of local workers employed in Financial and Insurance Services (1.3% compared to 4.5% in Victoria). 8.6%
PROUD ACHIEVEMENTS... Julie-Anne Bamblett-McGee is a testament to the power of education pathways between TAFE and Universities. Now a Registered Nurse, Julie-Ann completed a Diploma of Nursing at GOTAFE and a Bachelor of Nursing at La Trobe University Shepparton. Photo: Supplied
Power up your career
ELECTRICIANS are in high-demand and there has never been a better time to embark on an apprenticeship in Electrotechnology, with government-funded places and practical training while earning a competitive wage, and the potential for high earnings and multiple career paths.
Watters Electrical are a fantastic choice for qualified electricians and apprentices alike. Join a culture of excellence that is close to home and offers comprehensive training. Watters is family-owned and has 65 years of experience where you can collaborate with a diverse team of toptier electricians, data technicians, solar and battery install specialists, civil operators and project managers.
Fostering a supportive and collaborative environment to nurture workers’ skills is important to Watters, and they also provide social events and opportunities to celebrate
BUILDING
Department of Rural Health, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences of The University of Melbourne, Dr Claire Quilliam, has headed up research into the support needed for rural mature-aged students in healthcare, with an aim to help breach the gape in the workforce.
your achievements. Each year, they generally have around 70-80 apprentices across their three branches in Shepparton, Wangaratta and Albury.
Watters are always on the lookout for great tradesmen and A Grade Electricians are encouraged to apply now for roles.
If you are starting your journey in this rewarding field, preference will be given to candidates with Year 11 maths, who have completed work experience with Watters Electrical and consider completing a Pre-Apprenticeship course.
Applications for apprenticeships open around October every year via Seek, the Watters Electrical website and on their socials. Visit www.watters.com.au/ to learn more or apply for various roles within this recognisable and reputed local business. Interviews are conducted for the 2025 intake of apprentices in October/November this year.
Increasing support for mature-aged students
By Aaron Cordy
FIXING the Healthcare manpower shortage is a many-layered problem that needs to be approached from an array of angles to attract, keep and maintain qualified people in rural centres.
Researchers from the University of Melbourne Shepparton, Deakin University, Bentley, WA, and La Trobe University, Bendigo, have combined their skills and knowledge into a study aimed at building support to help mature-aged rural students into healthcare.
Dr Claire Quilliam, The University of Melbourne along with Dr Nicole Crawford, Deakin University, and Carol McKinstry, La Trobe, looked at the rural pipeline approach of recruiting rural people into health professions, educating them in their communities so they can join the workforce.
“With current rural health workforce approaches, there is a big emphasis on retention because we focus on recruiting people from outside rural communities,” said
“So, you have to get them here, then you have to work to keep them here because they don’t have those deep connections with the community; they don’t have close friends or strong connections with social groups. It takes years to develop those relationships, and in my mind, that’s a lot of work that has to go into retaining people. Or we can go with building opportunities for developing the rural pipeline and supporting rural people who already have a sense of belonging in their community or nearby communities. They get their qualifications done and they stay in their community because that’s where they have that belonging.”
Mature-aged students face different challenges than students straight out of high school, so the study focused on how best to support them. The researchers used surveys, interviews, and focus groups across three rural campuses to develop a comprehensive description of each case from multiple perspectives. Participants included
professional and academic staff working at the campuses, mature-aged students enrolled in nursing or allied health courses, and placement supervisors.
The researchers found that most of the support for mature-aged students comes from the student's home life, or informally from campus staff. While these types of supports are great, a lack of specific supports for this cohort driven by the campus can leave students at risk of dropping out when family and life commitments outside of study demand their attention. And it was clear there needs to be an array of support services tailored to meet the needs of mature-aged students with their own challenges.
“We need to support rural campuses to think through how they’re going to support this cohort. Mature-aged students made up over 50 per cent of nursing and allied health student cohorts on these rural campuses. We don’t want them withdrawing because it’s too hard,” said Dr Quilliam.
Dr Quilliam.
PATHWAYS... Rural Nursing and Allied Health Research fellow,
Photo: Aaron Cordy
Pictured from left from Watters Electrical are fourth year apprentice Cihan Ozcan, operations manager Matt Hanlon and first-year apprentice Matt Di Petta. Photo: Emma Harrop
Rewarding careers, supportive workplace and diverse opportunities
KATE Furlanetto’s journey in nursing began right here in Greater Shepparton, where she first heard about La Trobe University's new Bachelor of Nursing course while she was in high school.
Excited by the prospect of studying locally, Kate enrolled and completed her undergraduate degree, training at GV Health.
After finishing her general graduate nursing year at GV Health, Kate had a brief stint in mental health, which piqued her interest. This led her to pursue a postgraduate diploma in Mental Health Nursing, eventually becoming a community case manager for vulnerable adults and older adults.
Supported by GV Health throughout her studies, Kate completed her Master's in Mental Health Nursing and published research on cognitive impairment in general hospitals.
Almost five years ago, Kate became a Mental Health Clinical Nurse Educator at GV Health, focusing on professional development and research.
"I got to establish online learning spaces and conduct local research, which was published in the International Journal for Mental Health Nursing," she shared. "Working here allows you to represent regional issues and think creatively about solutions.
“There's no hurry to specialise is probably my advice,” Kate said. “The opportunities are here on our doorstep. And GV Health provides a huge range of services.
“And, you know, there's expected growth into the future, which is only going to mean more opportunities for young people to find a position that really nurtures their learning and satisfies their curiosity.
“When you're committed to a role and you're passionate about what you do, the opportunities will present themselves.
“And then it's up to you to catch them.”
requiring short and long-term treatment and support.
Services include adult, aged persons, child and youth mental health and community.
To learn more about a career at GV Health, visit gvhealth.org.au/careers/mental-health.
Our Mental Health Workforce Navigator offers free, personalised support for newly relocating employees including housing assistance, partner employment, childcare, social groups and integration into our community. For more information contact mentalhealthcareers@gvhealth.org.au or (03) 4804 4310.
GV Health’s Mental Health team provides a comprehensive range of services for community members suffering from, or at risk of, serious mental health problems
Care you become a vital part of the team. Our organisation seeks opportunities for growth, development and learning and as a result, our staff are
SO MANY OPPORTUNITIES... Kate Furlanetto’s journey in mental health nursing began in Shepparton and has taken her to become
Mental Health Clinical Nurse Educator at GV Health. Photo: Supplied
Aspiring student at La Trobe Shepparton
“We’re a small tight-knit family”
SECOND-year student studying a Bachelor of Education Bethany Gray knew she wanted to remain in Shepparton and pursue her degree at La Trobe University.
Seeking early entry Bethany was accepted into the Aspire Community Contribution Program, due to her many years of scouting, as well as being a college captain of GSSC in its first year.
“It was a very helpful program. I gained access to a lot of resources and help. It facilitated the idea of community information sources. We had a page of alumni and current students from all different campuses that were in the Aspire program,” said Bethany.
“I love being in La Trobe Shepparton, we’re a small, tight-knit family. You know everyone’s there to support you. It was fantastic, particularly from going to a school on the larger side, to a small university. It was nice to have assistance understanding my timetable, finding classrooms, or being told, ‘Beth, apply for that or do this.’ Everyone here as a tight community supports you, which is my favourite part of La Trobe. Particularly being regional, I still get to live at home and feed off my parents, which is the best. But also knowing that I'm learning something and building up my skills and qualifications to give back to where I grew up.”
LEARNING LOCALLY... Bethany Gray loves studying at La Trobe in Shepparton. The freedom to pursue a higher education where she grew up has taken a lot of stress out of the important life step. Being accepted into the Aspire Community Contribution Program has been a dream come true. Photo: Aaron Cordy
40 years supporting local people
2024 MARKS 40 years of business for Goulburn Murray Group Training, trading as The Apprenticeship Factory and Monarch Personnel. They began in 1984 as a local notfor-profit, community-based organisation supporting local people with employment and training opportunities.
This is a significant milestone for an organisation that provides a crucial link between young people wanting to obtain a trade qualification, and employers looking to hire an apprentice or trainee.
The Apprenticeship Factory has a dedicated team of local staff who realise the importance of creating opportunities for young people so that the region can continue to grow. Their staff continually work with businesses and young school leavers who are looking to work in the trades sector.
“Our business also offers recruitment for both temporary and permanent roles through
Monarch Personnel.
Monarch Personnel offers a streamlined employment process, getting to know your business before providing suitable new members for your team.
“What we pride ourselves on is our reputation for delivering high-quality, honest and cost-effective recruitment solutions”
“What we pride ourselves on is our reputation for delivering high-quality, honest and cost-effective recruitment solutions,” said CEO, Paula Ryan.
Paula Ryan
“This begins with listening and understanding what is important to you, the business when selecting the right candidate to put forward for the role. We can assist in filling casual temporary roles at times when a
business hits a busy period or has staff on annual leave or sick leave. This could be 1 day or up to 4 weeks or even more,”
If you would like assistance with your temporary and permanent recruitment needs, call the team at Monarch Personnel and let
them find the “right fit” for your organisation or if you are looking for an Apprentice or Trainee give the team at The Apprenticeship Factory a call on (03) 58 224 555, or visit www.theapprenticeshipfactory.com.au.
FORTY YEARS... The Apprenticeship Factory has a dedicated team of local staff including Tracy Duke and Natalie Simpson, who realise the importance of creating opportunities for young people so that the region can continue to grow for 40 years. Photo: Adviser
Supporting education support staff to become teachers
THE State Government is launching a new pilot program to allow more than 300 dedicated Education Support staff and Koorie Education Support Officers to gain teaching qualifications while working in schools.
The program will enable rural and regional education support staff—who are employed in various roles such as teaching assistants, integration aides, and cultural liaison officers, to pursue a full teaching qualification and help combat the Australia-wide issue of teacher shortages.
Minister for Education Ben Carroll launched the $13.9M initiative today to trial undergraduate-level employmentbased teaching degrees to upskill staff working in Victorian government secondary and specialist schools.
The innovative and tailored program, set to start in 2025, will be delivered by Federation University Australia and La Trobe University and will support people in studying and qualifying as teachers while undertaking paid employment.
Participants will be supported with Department of Education-funded living expenses scholarships, relocation incentives and mentoring support. In the final years of
Emerging groups:
The number of local workers in the City of Greater Shepparton increased by 9,498 between 2002/03 and 2022/23, that’s an increase of almost 9.5k in 20 years!
the program, they will be eligible to start teaching as paraprofessionals.
“The Allan Labor Government is proud to invest $13.9M”
Both universities’ programs will focus on supporting participation by Education Support staff in rural and regional Victoria. At the same time, La Trobe University’s program will encourage participation from Koorie Education Support Officers.
Minister for Education
Ben Carroll
The new undergraduate-level employment-based teaching degrees will further expand Victoria’s nationleading suite of employment-based teaching degrees, known as the Teach Today and Teach Tomorrow programs, currently available to postgraduate students.
“The Allan Labor Government is proud to invest $13.9M, so our outstanding Education Support staff have the support they need to pursue rewarding teaching careers,” said Minister for Education Ben Carroll.
GV HEALTH WHERE YOUR CAREER AND LIFESTYLE COME TOGETHER
Join GV Health’s Mental Health team
There are many opportunities for entry level or experienced professionals across a range of disciplines:
• Adult Mental Health
• Aged Persons Mental Health
• Child and Youth Mental Health
• Acute Adult Inpatient Unit
- Wanyarra
• Community Mental Health
Jared Chapman was attracted to GV Health’s commitment to providing professional development opportunities
Jared grew up and started his nursing career in Queensland.
He developed a passion for mental health working at the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital.
At the start of last year, Jared fell in love with his now wife, who was living in the Goulburn Valley.
After navigating a long-distance relationship, Jared eventually decided to make the jump to move to the region and explore living and working in a regional area.
He applied to work at GV Health and is now working in the community
mental health sector.
Jared says he enjoys working in the environment that community mental health affords along with the opportunity to provide holistic treatment, care and support for consumers and their families.
The continuity of care has enabled him to see the positive changes that occur in the consumer’s lives throughout their recovery journeys.
“I was attracted to the role due to GV Health’s commitment to providing professional development opportunities,” Jared said.
“GV Health was able to support my move from Queensland and offer relocation incentive support.
“The Workforce Navigator from GV Health regularly checked in to ensure I had access to all available supports and services throughout this process.
“GV Health also supported me in continuing my education and helped me obtain a scholarship for my Masters in Mental Health Nursing.
“GV Health are a supportive health service who look after their workforce.”
To learn more about a career at GV Health, visit gvhealth.org.au/careers/mental-health or contact our Mental Health Workforce Navigator on mentalhealthcareers@gvhealth.org.au / (03) 4804 4310.
Jared and his wife Irina.