Indigenous Health Workers
Overview
Snapshot
Summary
Indigenous Health Workers assist with the coordination and provision of health care delivery to Indigenous communities.
Also known as: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Worker.
A certificate IV in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander primary health care is usually needed to work as an Indigenous Health Worker.
Tasks
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maintaining health records and statistics
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acting as an advocate in the community they serve, and as a communicator and interpreter on behalf of clients and other health workers
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providing clinical functions, such as case management and follow-up, independently or in consultation with other health care providers
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providing health education to individual clients and staff in health facilities
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providing cultural education to persons outside the cultural community and life skills education to the community they serve
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providing counselling and referring clients to other health care providers where necessary
Characteristics
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Vocational Education and Training (VET)
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Informal or on-the-job
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Analytical
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Helping
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Light
-
Medium
Outlook
JSA produces employment projections to show where likely future job opportunities may be. The latest data are for the five years from November 2021 to November 2026. Over this period, the number of workers:
- is expected to grow very strongly
- is likely to reach 2,400 by 2026.
Source: Jobs and Skills Australia Employment Projections to 2026.
Notes: The number employed includes people who work in this occupation as their main job. People who work in more than one job are counted against the occupation they work the most hours in.
Employment projections figures are rounded to the nearest 100. Calculations based on these rounded figures may result in differences to the numbers that are displayed on this page. Employment projections data (including occupations) can be downloaded from the Employment Projections page.
Number of Workers
Year | Employment |
---|---|
2011 | 700 |
2012 | 800 |
2013 | 1,500 |
2014 | 1,800 |
2015 | 900 |
2016 | 500 |
2017 | 1,500 |
2018 | 1,200 |
2019 | 1,100 |
2020 | 1,400 |
2021 | 2,000 |
2026 | 2,400 |
Source: ABS Labour Force Survey, ABS seasonally adjusted data to November 2021 and Jobs and Skills Australia Employment Projections to 2026.
Earnings and hours
Working arrangements
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Around 76% of people employed as Indigenous Health Workers work full-time hours, in all their jobs combined. This is 10 percentage points above the all jobs average (66%).
Full-time workers work an average of 42 hours per week in their main job. This is similar to the all jobs average (44 hours per week).
Median full-time earnings are $1,590 per week, this is similar to the all jobs median ($1,593):
- 3 in 4 workers earn more than $1,362
- 1 in 4 earn more than $1,768
Median hourly earnings are $45, this is more than the all jobs median ($41 per hour).
Sources: Full-time share and full-time hours: ABS, 2016 Census, customised report. Compared to the all jobs average. Full-time median earnings and median hourly earnings: ABS, Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours, May 2021. Compared to all jobs median.
Weekly Earnings (Before Tax)
Earnings | Indigenous Health Workers | All Jobs Average |
---|---|---|
Full-Time Earnings | 1,590 | 1,593 |
Total Earnings | 0 | 0 |
Source: Based on ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours, May 2021, Customised Report. Median weekly total cash earnings for full-time non-managerial employees paid at the adult rate. Earnings are before tax and include amounts salary sacrificed. Earnings can vary greatly depending on the skills and experience of the worker and the demands of the role. These figures should be used as a guide only, not to determine a wage rate.
Industries
Main industries
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Indigenous Health Workers work in industries like:
Source: ABS Labour Force Survey, annual average 2021.
Regions
Employment across Australia
NSW
VIC
QLD
SA
WA
TAS
NT
ACT
Employment by State and Territory (% Share)
State | Indigenous Health Workers | All Jobs Average |
---|---|---|
NSW | 27.1 | 31.6 |
VIC | 9.2 | 25.6 |
QLD | 27.5 | 20.0 |
SA | 8.7 | 7.0 |
WA | 14.5 | 10.8 |
TAS | 1.4 | 2.0 |
NT | 11.2 | 1.0 |
ACT | 0.4 | 1.9 |
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Around 80% of Indigenous Health Workers live outside of capital cities, compared with the all jobs average of 38%.
The Northern Territory, Queensland and Western Australia have a large share of employment relative to their population size.
The regions with the largest share of workers are:
- Northern Territory - Outback
- Queensland - Outback
- Cairns
- Far West and Orana
- Western Australia - Outback (North).
Source: Based on ABS Census 2016, Customised Report. Share of workers across Australian states, territories and regions, in this job compared to the all jobs average.
Worker profile
Age and gender
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The median age of Indigenous Health Workers is 44 years. This is higher than the all jobs average of 40 years.
A large share of workers are aged 45 to 54 years.
Females make up 73% of the workforce. This is 25 percentage points above the all jobs average of 48%.
Source: Based on ABS Census 2016, Customised Report. Age profile and gender share compared to the all jobs average.
Age Profile (% Share)
Age Bracket | Indigenous Health Workers | All Jobs Average |
---|---|---|
15-19 | 0.8 | 5.0 |
20-24 | 6.7 | 9.3 |
25-34 | 19.8 | 22.9 |
35-44 | 24.0 | 22.0 |
45-54 | 29.7 | 21.6 |
55-59 | 10.4 | 9.0 |
60-64 | 6.1 | 6.0 |
65 and Over | 2.6 | 4.2 |
Median Age | 44 | 40 |
Source: Based on ABS Census 2016, Customised Report. Age profile of workers in this job compared to the all jobs average.
Employment Pathways
Education, training and experience
A certificate IV in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander primary health care is usually needed to work as an Indigenous Health Worker.
Visit
- My Skills to compare Vocational Education and Training (VET) courses, providers and student outcomes.
- AAPathways website to explore Health Industry and Community Services VET training pathways.
Highest Level of Education (% Share)
Type of Qualification | Indigenous Health Workers | All Jobs Average |
---|---|---|
Post Graduate/Graduate Diploma or Graduate Certificate | 5.2 | 10.1 |
Bachelor degree | 9.7 | 21.8 |
Advanced Diploma/Diploma | 24.4 | 11.6 |
Certificate III/IV | 34.1 | 21.1 |
Year 12 | 8.8 | 18.1 |
Year 11 | 4.9 | 4.8 |
Year 10 and below | 12.9 | 12.5 |
Source: ABS Census 2016, Customised Report. Highest qualification completed by workers in this job (in any field of study). Qualifications needed by new workers might be different from the qualifications of workers already in the job.
Skills and Knowledge
Employers look for Indigenous Health Care Workers who are caring, compassionate and empathetic and have good social skills.
Skills
Skills can be improved through training or experience.
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75%
Social perceptivenessUnderstanding why people react the way they do.
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68%
Active listeningListening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions.
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61%
Reading comprehensionReading work related information.
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61%
Serving othersLooking for ways to help people.
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61%
SpeakingTalking to others.
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61%
WritingWriting things for co-workers or customers.
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59%
Coordination with othersBeing adaptable and coordinating work with other people.
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59%
Critical thinkingThinking about the pros and cons of different ways to solve a problem.
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57%
Judgment and decision makingFiguring out the pros and cons of different options and choosing the best one.
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55%
Active learningBeing able to use what you have learnt to solve problems now and again in the future.
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55%
MonitoringKeeping track of how well work is progressing so you can make changes or improvements.
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54%
Learning strategiesFiguring out the best way to teach or learn something new.
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52%
Complex problem solvingNoticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it.
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52%
PersuasionTalking people into changing their minds or their behaviour.
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52%
Systems evaluationMeasuring how well a system is working and how to improve it.
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50%
Time managementManaging your own and other peoples' time to get work done.
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46%
InstructingTeaching people how to do something.
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46%
Management of personnel resourcesMotivating, developing, and directing people as they work, and choosing the best people for the job.
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46%
Operations analysisUnderstanding needs and product requirements to create a design.
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43%
NegotiationBringing people together and trying to sort out their differences.
Knowledge
These are important topics, subjects or knowledge areas.
-
98%
Therapy and counsellingDiagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of physical and mental dysfunctions, and career counselling and guidance.
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93%
PsychologyHuman behaviour; differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; research methods; assessing and treating disorders.
-
87%
Customer and personal serviceUnderstanding customer needs, providing good quality service, and measuring customer satisfaction.
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74%
English languageEnglish language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
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72%
Education and trainingCurriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
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68%
Sociology and anthropologyGroup behaviour and dynamics, societal trends and influences, human migrations, ethnicity, cultures and their history and origins.
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56%
ClericalWord processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and other office work.
-
53%
Philosophy and theologyPhilosophical systems and religions, including their basic principles, values, ethics, ways of thinking, customs, practices, and impact on society.
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46%
Computers and electronicsCircuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
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43%
Law and governmentHow our laws and courts work. Government rules and regulations, and the political system.
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43%
Administration and managementBusiness principles involved in strategic planning, leadership, and coordinating people and resources.
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43%
Medicine and dentistryDiagnose and treat human injuries, diseases, and deformities, including preventive health-care measures.
-
38%
Personnel and human resourcesRecruiting and training people, managing pay and other entitlements (like sick leave), and negotiating pay and conditions.
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36%
Communications and mediaMedia production, communication, and dissemination. Includes written, spoken, and visual media.
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34%
MathematicsArithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, or statistics.
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34%
Sales and marketingShowing, promoting, and selling including marketing strategy, product demonstration, sales techniques, and sales control systems.
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30%
Public safety and securityUse of equipment, rules and ideas to protect people, data, property, and institutions.
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27%
TransportationMoving people or goods by air, rail, sea, or road.
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27%
Foreign languageForeign (non-English) language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition and grammar, and pronunciation.
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13%
TelecommunicationsTransmission, broadcasting, switching, control, and operation of telecommunications systems.
Abilities
Workers use these physical and mental abilities..
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64%
Oral comprehensionListen to and understand what people say.
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63%
Oral expressionCommunicate by speaking.
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63%
Problem spottingNotice when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong, even if you can't solve the problem.
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61%
Deductive reasoningUse general rules to find answers or solve problems logically.
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61%
Speech recognitionIdentify and understand the speech of another person.
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61%
Written comprehensionRead and understand written information.
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61%
Written expressionWrite in a way that people can understand.
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57%
Inductive reasoningUse lots of detailed information to come up with answers or make general rules.
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55%
BrainstormingCome up with a number of ideas about a topic, even if the ideas aren't very good.
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55%
Near visionSee details that are up-close (within a few feet).
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54%
Speech claritySpeak clearly so others can understand you.
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52%
CategorisingCome up with different ways of grouping things.
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52%
OriginalityCome up with unusual or clever ideas, or creative ways to solve a problem.
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48%
Sorting or orderingOrder or arrange things in a pattern or sequence (e.g., numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
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45%
Far visionSee details that are far away.
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45%
Flexibility of closureSee a pattern (a figure, object, word, or sound) hidden in other distracting material.
-
43%
Selective attentionPay attention to something without being distracted.
-
43%
Speed of recognitionQuickly make sense of and organize things you can see like letters, numbers, pictures, or other things.
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41%
MemorizationRemember things like words, numbers, pictures, and procedures.
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41%
MultitaskingDo two or more things at the same time.
Activities
These are kinds of activities workers regularly do in this job.
-
83%
Building good relationshipsBuilding good working relationships and keeping them over time.
-
82%
Helping and caring for othersProviding personal assistance, medical attention, or emotional support.
-
77%
Planning and prioritising workDeciding on goals and putting together a detailed plan to get the work done.
-
76%
Communicating within a teamGiving information to co-workers by telephone, in writing, or in person.
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73%
Negotiating and resolving conflictsHandling complaints and disagreements, and negotiating with people.
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72%
Working with the publicGreeting or serving customers, clients or guests, and public speaking or performing.
-
69%
Keeping your knowledge up-to-dateKeeping up-to-date with technology and new ideas.
-
67%
Making decisions and solving problemsUsing information to work out the best solution and solve problems.
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66%
Giving expert adviceProviding guidance and expert advice to management or other groups.
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66%
Documenting or recording informationEntering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.
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66%
Coaching and developing othersWorking out the needs of others and coaching, mentoring, or helping them to improve.
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66%
Communicating with the publicGiving information to the public, business or government by telephone, in writing, or in person.
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64%
Training and teaching othersUnderstanding the needs of others, developing training programs, and teaching or instructing.
-
62%
Researching and investigatingLooking for, getting and understanding different kinds of information.
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61%
Looking for changes over timeComparing objects, actions, or events. Looking for differences between them or changes over time.
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61%
Thinking creativelyUsing your own ideas for developing, designing, or creating something new.
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60%
Providing office supportDoing day-to-day office work such as filing and processing paperwork.
-
57%
Checking compliance with standardsDeciding whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.
-
55%
Leading and encouraging a teamEncouraging and building trust, respect, and cooperation among team members.
-
48%
Working with computersUsing computers to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.
Interests and demands
Learn about the daily activities, and physical and social demands faced by workers. Explore the values and work styles that workers rate as most important.
Interests
Interests are the style or type of work we prefer to do. All interest areas are shown below.
-
100%
HelpingWorking with people. Helping or providing service to others.
-
57%
AnalyticalIdeas and thinking. Searching for facts and figuring out problems in your head.
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48%
CreativeWorking with forms, designs and patterns. Often need self-expression and can be done without following rules.
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48%
EnterprisingStarting up and carrying out projects. Leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes require risk taking and often deal with business.
-
43%
AdministrativeFollowing set procedures and routines. Working with numbers and details more than with ideas, usually following rules.
-
14%
PracticalPractical, hands-on work. Often with plants and animals, or materials like wood, tools, and machinery.
Values
-
95%
RelationshipsServe and work with others. Workers usually get along well with each other, do things to help other people, and are rarely pressured to do things that go against their sense of right and wrong.
-
81%
AchievementResults oriented. Workers are able to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment.
-
81%
IndependenceWork alone and make decisions. Workers are able to try out their own ideas, make decisions on their own, and work with little or no supervision.
-
76%
Working conditionsJob security and good working conditions. There is usually a steady flow of interesting work, and the pay and conditions are generally good.
-
67%
SupportSupportive management that stands behind employees. Workers are treated fairly by their company, they are supported by management, and have supervisors who train them well.
-
62%
RecognitionAdvancement and the potential to lead. Workers are recognised for the work that they do, they may give directions and instructions to others, and they are looked up to in their company and their community.
Demands
-
100%
Face-to-face discussionsTalk with people face-to-face.
-
99%
Electronic mailUse electronic mail.
-
99%
TelephoneTalk on the telephone.
-
94%
Contact with peopleHave contact with people by telephone, face-to-face, or any other way.
-
93%
TeamworkWork with people in a group or team.
-
90%
Contact with the publicWork with customers or the public.
-
90%
Disease or infectionBe exposed to disease or infections.
-
90%
Indoors, heat controlledWork indoors with access to heating or cooling.
-
89%
Unstructured workHave freedom to decide on tasks, priorities, and goals.
-
89%
Freedom to make decisionsHave freedom to make decision on your own.
-
87%
Frequent decision makingFrequently make decisions that impact other people.
-
86%
Time pressureWork to strict deadlines.
-
82%
Letters and memosWrite letters and memos.
-
81%
Angry or unpleasant peopleDeal with unpleasant, angry, or rude people.
-
81%
Conflict situationsDeal with conflict or disagreements.
-
81%
Impact of decisionsMake decisions that have a large impact on other people.
-
81%
Physically close to peopleWork physically close to other people.
-
77%
Lead or coordinate a teamLead others to do work activities.
-
72%
Spend time sittingSpend time sitting at work.
-
68%
Being exact or accurateBe very exact or highly accurate.
O*NET is a trademark of the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration.
The skills and importance ratings on this page are derived from the US Department of Labor O*NET Database Version 21.2, 21-1022.00 - Healthcare Social Workers.
Links and downloads
Research and reports
The Skills Priority List provides a current labour market rating and a future demand rating for nearly 800 occupations nationally. Current labour market ratings are available for occupations at a state and territory level.
Downloads
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Occupation profiles data are available for download.
The Employment Projections are available for download.