We are excited to announce a new partnership between Burnie Brae and Carers Queensland!

This new collaboration will give unpaid carers in Queensland access to vocational placements and employment opportunities, allowing Carers Queensland’s RTO to attract and train more people to work in the community services sector, and at the same time, enables Burnie Brae to improve and develop the capabilities of its workforce.For over 30 years, Burnie Brae has sought to build strong community connections by providing quality health, lifestyle and care services to their clients and members. Similarly, Carers Queensland has supported and advocated for unpaid carers throughout Queensland for more than 31 years.

Its RTO started operating 10 years ago, and since then, it’s been making connections with the community services industry and conducting regular consultation with local employers and agencies to ensure its training is aligned to contemporary and current practices. Therefore, the support of a community services provider like Burnie Brae makes a significant impact as Carers Queensland’s RTO continues to work on its commitment to invest in accredited training and make life better for people in the community.

To Burnie Brae’s Home Care Coordinator, Leah Randle, the new partnership represents a step in the right direction to increase connections further.

“We’re very excited about this partnership which will assist us to meet consumer needs and retain and build on the wonderful reputation Burnie Brae has in the community”, she said. “The aged care industry is facing an extreme shortage of care workers, with some experts suggesting urgent action must be taken to boost the workforce,” she said.

“This collaboration with Carers Queensland gives Burnie Brae the opportunity to work with an organisation whose values align with ours, to attract and train people to work with us in the community services sector. We believe that alongside Carers Queensland, we will be able to attract students who have life experiences caring for people, and who have a genuine interest in working in the sector.”

This partnership allows Carers Queensland’s RTO to provide Certificate III in Individual Support training to Burnie Brae’s employees and work collaboratively to co-brand recruitment drives to increase their workforce and equally gain more students for the RTO. Moreover, it will provide Burnie Brae with qualified, well-rounded students who are able to support the organisation’s goals.

“We feel very honoured to be able to work with Carers Queensland and Your Caring Way to assist carers wanting to pursue training and to work in a caring role,” Leah said. “Students will benefit from the chance to receive paid work with Burnie Brae during their training, to learn alongside experienced care workers, as well as have a potential pathway to long-term employment. In a time of shortage of care workers in our industry, this addition of students to our workforce will allow Burnie Brae to provide high-quality care to more consumers who are in need. We are passionate about supporting those in our community to stay connected and to provide quality, health, lifestyle, and wellness services,” Leah said.