Dubbo has vital need for call centre workers and receptionists

While professional roles such as medical practitioners and nurses accounted for the largest number of roles advertised in regional Australia, Dubbo had a need for jobs in another department.

The Dubbo and Western NSW area posted a five-year growth rate of 248 per cent for general-inquiry clerks, call centre workers and receptionists.

RAI CEO Liz Ritchie said the report shines a light on the "unprecedented" challenge playing out in regional Australia as labour struggles to keep up with demand despite population movement continuing.

In October 2022, according to the Internet Vacancy Index, which is a monthly count of online jobs advertised by Jobs and Skills Australia, regional job vacancies grew to 94,100, which was more than double the pre-pandemic levels.

"Medical Practitioner and Nurse vacancies in regions represented almost half the total national vacancies for this occupation grouping, despite regional Australia representing only one third of the population," Ms Ritchie said.

READ MORE:

"Job vacancy growth year on year shows that the regions are falling further and further behind in trying to secure staff. Without intervention, the gap potentially will widen."

Regional Jobs 2022: The Big Skills Challenge, identifies the top four most in-demand online advertised roles across regional Australia for December. These include:

With a need for medical practitioners and nurses, the University of Sydney's Doctor of Medicine program is also on the lookout for new students with a passion for rural health.

Applications are open for the third intake of the Dubbo Stream, the four-year postgraduate MD program at the School of Rural Health.

The Dubbo Stream is continuing to grow, with 47 medical students now undertaking the entire Sydney Doctor of Medicine degree in the region.

They are joined by over 20 additional Sydney Doctor of Medicine from the Metropolitan Stream on one to two year extended rural placements, as part of the University's our longstanding 25 year commitment to increasing the rural health workforce in Western NSW.

Professor Cheryl Jones, Head of School and Dean of Sydney Medical School said they were excited to see the success of the implementation this program.

"It is strengthening the health workforce in the region and across rural Australia," she said.

Associate Professor Annemiek Beverdam, MD Program Year 1 Coordinator in Dubbo, said they were encouraged to see the number of students from the local Western NSW region join the course.

"A growing number of enquiries have come from prospective local students and health professionals looking to make the transition to becoming a doctor," she said.

"There is a strong focus on rural and Indigenous health, including placements in rural and remote NSW and a supportive medical community of local practitioners and specialists."

Associate Professor Randall Greenberg, Chief Medical Officer at the Royal Flying Doctor Service South Eastern Section (RFDSSE), said "as part of their study, medical students in Dubbo get to experience rural health with the RFDSSE, giving them greater exposure and a greater understanding of the benefits and challenges of rural and remote healthcare."

The Dubbo Stream is delivered in brand new purpose-built facilities at the School of Rural Health featuring two dedicated learning studios for team based collaborative work, an anatomy teaching lab and a six-suite simulation training centre.

Students use the latest in medical education technology including 3D modelling and virtual and augmented reality while also receiving clinical exposure in the newly redeveloped Dubbo Hospital.

Applications are now open for the intake commencing in 2024.