You might not know this, but the Aged Care sector is one of Australia’s largest employment industries – and there is so much you could get involved in!
But you might wonder where you can go once you enter the door.
What does career progression look like, and how easy is it to keep learning and growing as a professional in this vital sector?
Keep reading to learn more about this vital and growing industry, and career progression with McKenzie Aged Care Group is as easy as 1, 2, 3, (4)!
A Little About the Aged Care Sector in Australia
The aged care and social assistance industry is one of Australia’s most significant employers, providing many opportunities for anyone to start their career.
In 2020, over 1.7 million people were employed in the sector, projected to increase to more than 1.9 million by 2024. This growth is attributed to an ageing population and growing home and community-based care demand.
Careers in the sector range from being highly specialised, such as Anaesthetists, Optometrists and Physiotherapists, to skills such as Clinical Nurses and Psychologists, to entry-level such as Personal Care Workers, Aged Care Workers, Hospitality and Administrators.
You’ll often work as part of a multidisciplinary team with other healthcare professionals, such as doctors, therapists and social workers, and liaise closely with patients’ families and/or carers.
Find out more via our Industry Profile.
How Can You Grow Your Career?
With 17 warm and welcoming communities in Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria, McKenzie leads the way in supportive aged care living.
With their exceptional team culture and early career opportunities, they’re ready to welcome early career starters to the industry!
But more than that, they’re keen to showcase just how varied and vibrant career progression with them can be. To help you get an idea of what this looks like, they’ve created four visual career maps based on real-life employees:
1. Career Progression Path One: Facilities Care to Support Worker
An employee can start working as facilities cleaner, move into Aged Care Support Worker and then choose a different career path.
In this pathway example, one person has branched off into Lifestyle while the other three follow the traditional nursing path.
From there, you can work in the Quality team as a Clinical Care Manager or join our Learning and Development team.
Click here to view a progression plan!
2. Career Progression Pathway Two: Receptionist to Financial Career
Working in the reception or administrative teams can lead to multiple career paths, including sales, payroll, rostering and finance.
In this example, an employee who started working in reception has progressed to work in Facility Management and even up to National Sales Manager!
Click here to view a progression plan!
3. Career Progression Pathway Three: Assistant in Nursing to Operations Management
Assistants in Nursing are a huge part of delivering care services throughout McKenzie’s residential homes.
They learn a lot on the job and are uniquely positioned to offer support, guidance and leadership and progress their careers in multiple ways.
Click here to view a progression plan!
4. Career Progression Pathway Four: Hospitality to Apprenticeship Success
Starting an Aged Care Support Assistant or Food Services Assistant role, you can undertake an apprenticeship, complete your Certificate III in Commercial Cooking, and open a range of other pathways!
McKenzie Chef Managers are highly skilled chefs who specialise in designing quality and varied menus for residents without a chef’s traditional late nights and weekend work in a hotel or restaurant setting.
Click here to view a progression plan!
Find Out More
When McKenzie Aged Care first started in 1998, the McKenzie family imagined creating what they wanted for those they loved. Their vision was to build warm, fun and welcoming communities. Places where residents received the very best in care, and people were cared for and cared about.
In 2023, the McKenzie family chose experienced Australian not-for-profit provider Bolton Clarke to become McKenzie Aged Care’s new owner and operator and continue to build on its legacy. As part of Bolton Clarke, McKenzie Aged Care is proud to add to this rich history and ongoing story.
Each of their communities remains true to the original vision set back in 1998 and delivers continuously on what McKenzie set out to achieve. McKenzie takes pride in employing over 2,500 staff, contributing over $35 million to the Australian economy in taxes.
You will immediately feel the difference when you walk through the doors of a McKenzie home.
Find out more via their dedicated employer profile right here at Explore Careers.
