The vast majority of New Zealanders believe people working in community support roles are important to society but less than half of New Zealanders would recommend it to family as a career, according to new research. Negative perceptions of working in these roles have led to New Zealanders not considering support work as a career, leading to an over-reliance on workers on visas and an older workforce – both compromised by COVID-19.
On Monday 17 May, Careerforce is launching a new public awareness campaign Life Changing Careers supported by the Tertiary Education Commission’s COVID-19 response fund – to bust myths and attract a more diverse and resilient workforce. The UMR research underpinning the campaign shows that while more than 80% of New Zealanders place high value on people working in care and support roles under half (47%) would recommend a career working in the sector to a family member.
Life Changing Careers works to showcase the meaningful, varied and often life-changing career opportunities available in this work through telling compelling real-life stories of our amazing support workers.
Life Changing Careers aims to build a workforce that better reflects the diversity of those that they are supporting, people of all ages, genders, cultural identities and lived experiences.
For people with a desire to make a real difference in others’ lives, this work can bring deep life fulfilment that will help people live their best life. It’s all there in the heart-warming and compelling stories we are telling in Life Changing Careers.
The initial campaign will run from May to September, primarily focused on digital advertising, supported by mainstream media, all driving people to the campaign website, where they can find jobs, information, take a quiz and read inspiring stories about our amazing support workers.
