Employment Investigation Report on Australian Healthcare Sector and Intercultural Challenges

This report provides a detailed analysis of the job market and employment trends of the health care industry in Australia along with the possible intercultural challenges that international students can face while establishing a career in the nation.

Running head: EMPLOYMENT INVESTIGATION REPORT
Employment investigation report
Name of the student:
Name of the university:
Author note:

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EMPLOYMENT INVESTIGATION REPORT
Executive summary:
Employment can be considered a highly significant and concerning factor for the immigrant
students and it is crucial for them to have a clear idea of the employment statistics and the labour
market before deciding on a particular sector to apply for. This assignment will explore the
labour market of Australian emphasizing of th health care sector to discover the employment
trends and impact of culture.

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Table of Contents
Introduction:....................................................................................................................................2
Healthcare sectors and occupations:................................................................................................3
Intercultural challenges:...................................................................................................................5
Recommendation:............................................................................................................................7
Conclusion:......................................................................................................................................8
References:......................................................................................................................................9

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EMPLOYMENT INVESTIGATION REPORT
Introduction:
Nursing can be considered one of the most noble professions that provides not only
financially secure future, but also provides the opportunity for the professional to have a
fulfilling career with job satisfaction and the chance to save lives and provide care and support
to the sick and ailing. Hence, it has to be mentioned in this context that the profession of heath
care and nursing most importantly, receives a huge competition and it is very important for a
graduating nurse to research the options available and the employability trends before deciding
on a particular sector (Holmes 2015). Along with that it has to be mentioned as well that for
different nations, the international cultural influence is also a very important factor that plays a
profound role in the employment sectors. For instance, Australia is a nation with a different
national culture and there is a significant impact on the labor market and employability statistics.
This assignment will attempt to explore the different factors associated with the labor market of
the health care sectors of Australia and how the intercultural trends impact on the labor market of
health care.
Australian labour market trends:
First and foremost, the national and state level employability trends are needed to be
checked in order to begin the discussion on the labor market of the nation in the particular
sectors. According to the department of employment of the Australian government, the
employability of the nation is expected to entertain a hike of 7.8% in the next 5 years
(Department of Jobs and Small Business 2018). The predicted rise in the total employment
statistics is based entirely on the steady industrial growth that the nation has achieved in the last
couple of years. Considering the recent report by the Australian government, from the year of

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2015-2016, there has been a reported hike of close to 2% (225000 to 11939600). According to
Docs.employment.gov.au. (2018), considering the figures from the growth rate sustained by the
national employment statistics in the last ten years, this has been the most notable rise, which is
expected to continue. According to the recent report it has to be mentioned that the most
important factor behind the notable increase in the employability statistics is generally attributed
to infrastructure enhancement and resultant industrial growth. Along with that, it has to be
mentioned that for the most part, this increase can also be attributed to part time employment
hike among the students and gradating individuals, although it has to be highlighted here that the
marked increase in the part time employment also has had a significant impact on the total
number of hours worked as well, which has only attained a decent 0.6 % hike (Lmip.gov.au.
2018). According to the critical analysis, it can be mentioned that the growth in the employment
sector indicates a paradigm, shift towards the scientific or technical sectors and the service based
sectors as well. The youth unemployment rate however is still looming at a 13.2 % as per the
data of 2016, and the unemployment rate among the youth has increased 1.2 % in the past year
mostly due to part time employment tenure. However, the statistical data indicates at the rising
competition in the labor market, preferably in the technical, sceintifc and service based structures
(Hajkowicz et al. 2016).
Healthcare sectors and occupations:
Coming to the health care sector, which is the sector under focus for this assignment, the
employment statistics are also very poignant in the Australian demographics. It has to be
mentioned in this context that there has been a significant hike in the number of people that have
been employed in different sectors within the health care workforce. According to the recent
statistics, the total number of people employed in the health care sector is 1663900, including the

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full time and part time employees. According to the Lmip.gov.au. (2018), the total employment
in the health care sector of the Australia represents 13.4 % of the total workforce of the nation.
The health care industry of the Australia has been growing tremendously and there has been a
significant impact on the demand of health care services as well. With the most remote areas
being included under the coverage of the health care services, the need for manpower has
increased more than ever. According to the report, there has been a significant 22.1 % increase in
the employment in the health care industry (Lawson 2014). Along with that, the earnings of the
full time employees in this sector are $1200 without taxes on a per week basis. Hence it can be
mentioned that health care industry is a growing industry in the Australian demographics, with
great scope for professional growth and sustainability. The most sought after sectors in the health
care industry include the posts of registered nurse, aged and disabled carers, and child carers
(Lmip.gov.au. 2018).
Focusing on the aged sector, it is undoubtedly one of the most sought after sectors for the
fresh graduates looking for an opportunity to begin their professional journey on. It has to be
mentioned that the aged care service is under tremendous demand in the Australian
demographics. The population of the Australia is aging considerably at a high rate nad hence
with the critically ill and aging patient population rising every single day, the demand for aged
care sectors is rising rapidly. Hence this is one domain that I would like to apply for when I
embark on my professional journey. There are a few overlapping designations within this sector,
namely the aged or disabled carer, personal care worker or personal carer. The job
responsibilities are very similar in all the cases and comprises of providing personal, physical
and emotional support to the older people that require assistance with the activities of daily
living. A certificate II or III or at least 1 year of relevant experience is required to work in this

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sector and the remuneration details include $679.90 and $799 per week. Coming to the prospects
of this health care sector, it can be mentioned that this sector is growing rapidly and in the
Australian demographics there are at least close to 163700 workers employed in the aged care
sector. And according to the research in the coming 5 years this sectors are going to increase up
to 241200. And presently the vacancies in this aged acre sectors are closely 184000 in most parts
of the Australia, with lower unemployment rates in this sector, hence it is a considerably
promising option (Kryger 2015).
The second sector, that is have chosen to pursue is the private health sector, which also a
highly demanding service in the health care industry of not just Australia, but the entire globe.
The private health care workers provide assistance, support and direct care benefits to disabled
patients and critically ill patients in need for daily assistance. This health care sectors also
requires a certificate II and certificate III and a year worth experience to start working for a
reputed organizations. There are a few designations in this sector like nursing support worker,
personal care assistant, and even therapy aide. The pay in this sector on the weekly basis is $900
approximately. The workforce strength in this sector is close to 92700 workers and is expected to
increase up to 105900 in the coming five years. The vacancy statistics in these sectors has been
estimated to a promising figure of 64000 openings all across Australia. Hence, it is a promising
sector as well and promises considerable professional growth in the near future (Lmip.gov.au.
2018).
Intercultural challenges:
Cultural trends have a significant impact on the professional attitude and dealings as well.
And along with that, the impact of the cultural values can be far more overpowering for the

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students that migrate to different nations for higher employability statistics and better
opportunities (Wiewiora et al. 2013). I would like to mention that coming from a different
cultural background the westernized culture of Australia has been a slight challenge for me o
overcome in my education experience. Now exploring the employment or professional context of
the Australian demographics, there is also a significant impact of the basic national culture and
principles as well (Pham and Tran 2015). It has to be understood that Australia is a country that
has very low power distance and a very approachable or welcoming relationship among the
different designations regardless of the powers and position (Abdelkerim and Grace 2012). The
professional culture in here is a more of an open door policy where the employees are expected
to be confident and sure of them along with having credibility and qualifications. Coming from a
more ethnic culture myself, high power distance and a little discomfort is what I have been
comfortable with when it comes to professional attitudes. Hence, open culture and the go-getter
extrovert attitude expected in the Australian organizational culture can act as a significant
challenge for me.
Approachability is also very high in the Australian professional culture and there are no
certain boundaries to professional attitude (Beer et al. 2016). The work environment in this
country is very relaxed and causal with people keeping a very individualistic approach to living.
Hence, although the people are helpful and warm, there is a lack of collectivist approach to the
lifestyle very little sense of responsibility for people outside of their close knit circles. Hence,
starting out my professional journey in this country it can be a significant challenge for me as
well as I come from a collectivist social culture (Kosny, Santos and Reid 2017).
Apart from that a few common challenges facing the international students while working
in the Australian demographics include the language barrier. For a vast variety of students that

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belong to the different intercultural backgrounds, acculturation with the language spoken and the
accent can prove to be a significant challenge as well. Along with that, a vast variety o the
Australian patients belong to the indigenous or aboriginal backgrounds (Lu et al. 2014). As I
have had no prior interaction with the aboriginal culture and their understanding health, working
with native patients can also be a grave change for an international student like me. Lastly,
according to the research, it has to be mentioned that the racial discrimination and bullying is a
very common occurrence for the international youth that come to either study or start a
professional journey in Australia. Hence, for international students acceptability and bullying can
be a significant challenge for the most part (Rienties et al. 2012).
Recommendation:
From the extensive research that I have carried out for the study, it can be clearly stated
that the employment market in the Australian demographics are charming without any doubt.
Over the past years, there have been a remarkable improvement in the employability rate and
statistics of this country and the increasing growth rates are expected to entertain promising rise
in the near future as well. For the health care industry most preferably, there has been a myriad
of different opportunities opening up for the aspirants of this field and hence Australian health
acre industry undoubtedly is a highly promising professional domain without any conflict.
However, for international students like myself there are a few challenges that is needed to be
overcome for us to be able to attain excellent job opportunities (Tuckerman et al. 2012).
According to the health care industrial reports and panel discussions, employment in this
sector depends heavily upon overall credibility, confidence and cultural connections, hence the
first recommendation strategy for me as an international student will be to focus on my personal

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image and confidence to suit the open door policy of this westernized professional culture. I
would like to attend cultural safety programs and language assistance to attune myself with the
dialect and cultural trends of this country. I would also like to join continuous professional
development programs, especially in the cultural competence sectors so that there is maximal
chances of my resume being of same weightage as any native candidate (McDermott et al.,
2012).
A few job searching strategies that I will like to employ will include setting up a detailed
and updated Linked in profiles to be able to attract the attention of the most of the reputed aged
care and private care sectors. I would like to develop a resume with professional assistance to
highlight my skills and key strengths to attract the most attention. As I would like to join a aged
care sectors most preferably, I would like to enhance my qualifications and skills as well to have
a competitive edge, hence I would join additional vocational aid trainings and aged care support
workshops to gain experience and make professional connections along with finding sector
specific recruiters.
Conclusion:
On a conclude note, it can be stated that the Australian labour market is enhancing and
enriching very rapidly and there are a thousand different opportunities that are opening in
different employment sectors in this nation. Among the different employment sectors, the health
care industry can be considered a booming sector with a myriad of opportunities. This report
provided a detailed analysis of the job market and employment trends of the health care industry
along with the possible intercultural challenges that international students like me can face while
establishing a career in the nation. However, with the recommendation strategies outlined the

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process can be easily simplified and best opportunities can be attained for a marvelous
professional future in the land of new opportunities.

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References:
Abdelkerim, A.A. and Grace, M., 2012. Challenges to employment in newly emerging African
communities in Australia: A review of the literature. Australian Social Work, 65(1), pp.104-119.
Beer, A., Bentley, R., Baker, E., Mason, K., Mallett, S., Kavanagh, A. and LaMontagne, T.,
2016. Neoliberalism, economic restructuring and policy change: Precarious housing and
precarious employment in Australia. Urban studies, 53(8), pp.1542-1558.
Department of Jobs and Small Business. (2018). Analysis of trends in the Australian labour
market. [online] Available at: https://www.jobs.gov.au/annual-report-2016/analysis-trends-
australian-labour-market [Accessed 8 Apr. 2018].
Docs.employment.gov.au. (2018). July 2017 Hot Topic: The Labour Market Experience of
Recent Migrants | Department of Jobs and Small Business - Document library, Australian
Government. [online] Available at: https://docs.employment.gov.au/documents/july-2017-hot-
topic-labour-market-experience-recent-migrants [Accessed 8 Apr. 2018].
Hajkowicz, S.A., Reeson, A., Rudd, L., Bratanova, A., Hodgers, L., Mason, C. and Boughen, N.,
2016. Tomorrow’s digitally enabled workforce: Megatrends and scenarios for jobs and
employment in Australia over the coming twenty years. Australian Policy Online.
Holmes, P., 2015. ‘The cultural stuff around how to talk to people’: immigrants' intercultural
communication during a pre-employment work-placement. Language and Intercultural
Communication, 15(1), pp.109-124.

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Kosny, A., Santos, I. and Reid, A., 2017. Employment in a “Land of Opportunity?” Immigrants’
Experiences of Racism and Discrimination in the Australian Workplace. Journal of International
Migration and Integration, 18(2), pp.483-497.
Kryger, T., 2015. Casual employment in Australia: A quick guide. Parliamentary Library.
Lawson, C., 2014. International higher education student satisfaction with opportunities for work
experience and employment in Australia. Department of Education.
https://internationaleducation. gov. au/research/Publications/Documents/Employ ment%
20report. pdf.
Lmip.gov.au. (2018). Welcome to the Labour Market Information Portal.. [online] Available at:
http://lmip.gov.au/default.aspx?LMIP/GainInsights/IndustryInformation/
HealthCareandSocialAssistance [Accessed 8 Apr. 2018].
Lu, S.H., Dear, B.F., Johnston, L., Wootton, B.M. and Titov, N., 2014. An internet survey of
emotional health, treatment seeking and barriers to accessing mental health treatment among
Chinese-speaking international students in Australia. Counselling Psychology Quarterly, 27(1),
pp.96-108.
McDermott, S. and Edwards, R., 2012. Enabling Self‐determination for Older Workers with
Intellectual Disabilities in Supported Employment in Australia. Journal of Applied Research in
Intellectual Disabilities, 25(5), pp.423-432.
Pham, L. and Tran, L., 2015. Understanding the symbolic capital of intercultural interactions: A
case study of international students in Australia. International Studies in Sociology of
Education, 25(3), pp.204-224.

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Rienties, B., Beausaert, S., Grohnert, T., Niemantsverdriet, S. and Kommers, P., 2012.
Understanding academic performance of international students: the role of ethnicity, academic
and social integration. Higher education, 63(6), pp.685-700.
Tuckerman, P., Cain, P., Long, B. and Klarkowski, J., 2012. An exploration of trends in open
employment in Australia since 1986. Journal of Vocational Rehabilitation, 37(3), pp.173-183.
Wiewiora, A., Trigunarsyah, B., Murphy, G. and Coffey, V., 2013. Organizational culture and
willingness to share knowledge: A competing values perspective in Australian
context. International Journal of Project Management, 31(8), pp.1163-1174.