Aged Care Mobile Skills Lab drives change to combat workforce shortages

By Taylah Baker

Jan 29, 2025

**Aged Care Mobile Skills Lab project co-ordinator Robert Peoples has travelled 51,000km for the program over the past 18 months.** Photo by Supplied

A new training program is tackling the workforce shortage in Victoria’s aged care sector, with the goal of leaving this critical issue in the rearview mirror.

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Spearheaded by South West TAFE, the Aged Care Mobile Skills Lab is making waves throughout 33 aged care facilities, including those in Greater Shepparton.

The award-winning program has successfully introduced over 110 new trainees to the aged care industry, achieving a 556 per cent increase in traineeships and a 175 per cent growth in employer partnerships.

“It is the first in Victoria, and I believe it’s the only one in Australia doing what we do, but it can be duplicated,” Aged Care Mobile Skills Lab project co-ordinator Robert Peoples said.

The mobile lab brings training directly to rural areas, enabling remote learners to earn a Certificate III in Individual Support during their workplace-based traineeships.

The program has proven effective, with an impressive 89 per cent of trainees retained within the aged care system.

“It has gone well beyond what we thought it might be,” Mr Peoples said.

Commissioned with funding from the Victorian Government, the skills lab is a purpose-built motorhome that simulates an aged care environment, complete with a custom-built annex to accommodate 12 students for hands-on classes.

To maximise accessibility, Mr Peoples has covered an impressive 51,000km in 18 months, working with 33 partner providers across 24 locations, including Geelong, East Gippsland and Greater Shepparton.

The program has also widened to include disability and home care work, and Mr Peoples is set to present at a disability forum in Wodonga this February.

Yet, there is still potential to extend its reach even further.

Mr Peoples is collaborating with the Human Services Skills Organisation to provide isolated or remote Indigenous communities across Australia with access to training opportunities and build self-reliance within their communities.

“We believe the mobile skills lab is ideal to bring training to those isolated areas,” he said.

“It used to be that everyone had to come to us, but now we’re focused on taking everything to you, regardless of where you are.”

Fuelled by innovation and a dedication to accessibility, the skills lab is driven to ensure the success of the aged care industry.