The National Skills Commission (NSC) has released a research report on the future shape of the Australian workforce.
My commentary https://www.facebook.com/ParamedProf/photos/a.878949382148816/3599026710141056/?__cft__[0]=AZX9x5Y_tm791D5LG-k_0bgPxsnw8fJzOzCUMderHq5IkUIN-KTOqobGI4Ja2mWoq9FnNdClIfxBFlpY4eRG_jrH-KuVay-4-b6tUZhRGldCGMJPcqDMoVrnaWb3jxo2vuL1_WcNvhFNFnb7A5ongPF1IMppE1djqHRe1FjHgz2P9ULbCJ2-s4E7Kj3qBbHA9vM&__tn__=%2CO*F
The NSC release: https://bit.ly/37CNWNS 
Access the report: https://bit.ly/3lPq3I8  @LangPeter1 @WildernessEMC @omeara_p

Of interest is the healthcare sector which is dominated by women aged 20-34. #Paramedicine is an outlier, with the latest registration figures showing a gender balance of about 44% women but trending higher. Graduating classes are as high as 70% women. https://bit.ly/2VQMt13 

Australia is a long-time leader in #paramedicine with #paramedics qualified through #university #degree programs & #registered nationally.
Despite challenging courses, there are currently more graduates than are available positions in the traditional ambulance services. Yet..

..Yet the government appears to have done little to recognise this skilled cohort of highly trained professionals either in workforce studies or policy reviews or to mobilise them within the #health sector at large like is done in the UK. https://bit.ly/2VTmHsY  @ParamedicsUK

The NSC report raises concerns that #paramedicine remains the forgotten profession & that the workforce data is suspect & even misleading. Registered paramedics (>20,000) are combined with ambulance officers (unregistered) which is both anomalous & numerically suspect.

Of particular significance is that the pairing of unregistered #ambulance officers & registered paramedics perpetuates the situation where #paramedics are listed at skills category level 2 under the ANZSCO. See p 27 & Table 2.2. #terminologymatters

Australian #paramedics have been degree-qualified for >20 years & the primary path for registration is an #accredited #degree. The ANZSRC also recognises #paramedicine as an independent Field of Research under Clinical Science - 320219 Paramedicine. https://bit.ly/3glUip4 

It's time to mobilise the expertise of #paramedics more widely & for obsolete designations & classifications to be discarded or updated.
Among the first steps are for #paramedicine to be identified as a discrete professional cohort & properly classified at ANZSCO Skill Level 1.

Ping @maguirebj @BrianHaskins5 @monash_para @karensmith_av @Ziad_Nehme1 @AmbulanceVic @QldAmbulance @NSWAmbulance @SA_Ambulance @stjohn_wa @AmbulanceTas @ACTAmbulance @Stjohnnt @StJohnNZ @WgtnFree @StJohnAmbPNG @RoyalFlyingDoc @PAC_Paramedic @ChiefMNolan @hp_ems @iaemsc

This proposed recognition & reclassification of #paramedics in no way diminishes the highest respect I hold for ambulance officers, NEPT staff, EMDs, first responders, volunteers and other wonderful staff within the system whose selfless dedication is often overlooked.