TEENS are being targeted as Queensland’s next generation of health workers as the State Government announces a new $1 million recruitment campaign called #GoHealth.
#GoHealth was announced by Health Minister Shannon Fentiman to promote careers in the public health sector to Queenslanders aged 15-18 and their parents.
The campaign highlights the diverse range of roles available within Queensland Health, including doctors, nurses, allied health professionals, social workers and healthcare administrators.
“With demand for healthcare services rising, we will need tens of thousands more health workers entering the public health system over the next decade,” Minister Fentiman said.
“We are already doing so much to compete in the global workforce market, and we know that healthcare workers are in short supply.
“That’s why we are rolling out this campaign, so that we can ensure we are growing our own workers here in Queensland and building that talent pipeline.”
Incorporating social media channels, including TikTok and Instagram, as well as traditional media, the campaign features a day in the life of young health professionals like Maddie, a pharmacist at the Queensland Children’s Hospital.
“I love working with kids and feel so grateful I can do it every day through Queensland Health,” Maddie says.
The campaign is designed to build the pipeline of talent coming through Queensland’s health system in the years to come.
Queensland is continuing to roll out incentive schemes to attract talented workers from interstate and overseas, but this new campaign also highlights the importance of growing our own health workers.
Its first phase will run between November 2023 and January 2024, coinciding with the lead-up to, and release of, Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR) results.
The second burst of media will run between March and April 2024 when there is a strong focus in schools on planning student pathways.
#GoHealth will complement other initiatives to bolster Queensland’s future health workforce. From 2024, young Queenslanders will be able to access free TAFE for 13 health courses, including a Diploma of Nursing.
“It builds on top of the other work we are doing, including making 13 health TAFE courses free from 2024, including a Diploma of Nursing,” Minister Fentiman said.
“My message to young Queenslanders is that if you want work that is meaningful, fulfilling, well-paying and secure, then choose a career in health.
“Whether you want to be a doctor, a nurse, a health scientist, a psychologist or a physiotherapist, we will have a job for you when you complete your studies.”
For information about health career pathways, visit this website.
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