4 September 2019

Wollongong local, Lauren Beattie, has landed two physiotherapy support jobs at Lawrence Hargrave and Wollongong Private Hospitals, putting a small dent in the 28,900 qualified assistants needed this year alone.

A TAFE NSW graduate, Ms Beattie is now one of 21,800 people currently employed in this sector, with 7,100 vacancies still open until the end of the year, according to the Department of Employment.

Ms Beattie said “I work at Lawrence Hargrave and Wollongong Private Hospitals, where I provide hands-on physiotherapy support to patients individually or with another therapist, as well as run some therapy groups to help elderly and orthopaedic patients understand what they can expect moving forward.

“This practical advice and appropriate exercises give them great comfort,” she said.

Ms Beattie said that she is particularly enthusiastic about the work experience and on-the-job training she undertook while studying at TAFE NSW, which assisted in quickly developing the knowledge and skills for her roles.

“Exposure to different operations, the varying severity of strokes and falls prevention for patients has increased my knowledge of the best treatment, while being able to communicate with compassion and an ever-increasing gratitude and respect for how I’m able to help people.”

With the burning desire to assist and care for her grandfather, who had fallen and broken his hip while living alone, Ms Beattie chose to study the Certificate IV in Allied Health Assistance online, while on maternity leave, to fit in with the hectic schedule of taking care of her two small children.

“Studying online gave me the flexibility to look after my young family and to complete modules at my own pace from the comfort of my own home,” said Ms Beattie.

“I completed the two-year course in seven months, as I initially wanted to assist my grandfather whose recovery was poor, due to services not being sufficient for an aged person and with dementia having set in,” said Ms Beattie.

To see TAFE Digital’s hundreds of industry relevant courses, please visit https://www.tafensw.edu.au/digital.

Media contact: Bonny Gunn, TAFE Digital Communications and Media Business Partner. M: 0417 134 048