Why Western NSW
If you have a genuine interest in caring for others, good communication skills, patience and a high degree of motivation, a career in health with Western NSW LHD is for you.
There are many health pathways to choose from to get you into the health profession you have always dreamed about, whether it be a dentist, doctor, nurse, administration professional or allied health worker.
We offer:
- opportunities to become an Aboriginal Health Worker
- traineeships in a broad range of roles including health and administration, which allow you to work or go to school and study at TAFE at the same time
- cadetships in nursing, midwifery and allied health and allow you to study at university while working full-time in paid employment with NSW Health
- a range of scholarship options are available to support you financially as you train at university to become a health professional.
Aboriginal Health Workers and Practitioners
Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Health Workers and Health Practitioners work with communities, families, and individuals of all ages. They work autonomously and in teams with other health professionals, including medical doctors, registered nurses and midwives, dentists, psychologists, allied health professionals; and with policy makers, educators and researchers.
Aboriginal Health Workers and Practitioners provide a range of health services which may include:
- Clinical services such as:
- physical health and social emotional wellbeing
- health promotion (e.g. tobacco, healthy eating)
- providing health care in line with care plans
- supporting clients in self-management, including the safe use of traditional and Western medications.
- Advocating for clients, including interpreting and translating language.
- Providing advice, support and training on culturally-safe health services to other professionals.
- Management activities, such as: staff supervision and mentoring, business and financial management and quality improvement.
- Education and training of Health Workers and other health professionals.
Aboriginal Traineeships
We offer a broad range of traineeships for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders for both those at school and for adults wanting to gain qualifications.
We offer traineeships in:
- Nursing
- Allied Health
- Dental Assisting
- Aged Care
- Administration
- Human Resources and
- Finance.
With each traineeship you work towards a Certificate 3 or Certificate 4 qualification. School-based applications are taken from late July for the following year and we welcome adult trainees to get in touch at any time with their career goals and we will see how we can support you with a traineeship positions.
School-based traineeships
School-based traineeships (year 11 and 12) have 100 days of on the job training, which means one day a week during term and also one day a week in 50% of your school holidays. You’ll have two periods a week to study, with all courses available online. This traineeship will count towards your overall HSC mark.
Adult traineeships
Adult trainees stay with us for 12 – 24 months as you work towards an industry recognised certificate level national qualification, while working and gaining relevant experience in a paid role. We offer both full and part-time traineeships.
Throughout the training program, trainees will be given support to consider, explore and prepare for their next study or career opportunity, including applications for advertised roles within the District.
For more information please contact:
Jarrad Smith – Aboriginal Traineeship Coordinator
Phone: (02) 6369 8969
Email: jarrad.smith@health.nsw.gov.au
Nursing and Midwifery scholarships and cadetships
A career in this field means that no two days are ever the same. You'll find a range of areas in which to specialise and the opportunity to develop new skills, take on further responsibilities and build your career.
Aboriginal Nursing and Midwifery Scholarships
There are several scholarships on offer for Aboriginal people that are interested in pursuing or continuing their career in nursing and midwifery. These include:
- Aboriginal Nursing/Midwifery Postgraduate Scholarships
- Aboriginal Nursing/Midwifery Undergraduate Scholarships
- Aboriginal Post-Enrolment Scholarships (Nursing)
Aboriginal Enrolled Nurse Scholarships and Cadetships
- Enrolled Nurse Cadetship
- NSW Health Aboriginal Enrolled Nurse to Registered Nurse Scholarship
Learn more about programs for Enrolled Nurses
Aboriginal Nursing and Midwifery Cadetship Program
For Aboriginal people wanting to study nursing or midwifery at university or for those currently studying in these areas at university, you may like to consider applying for the NSW Aboriginal Nursing and Midwifery Cadetship Program.
The cadetship offers:
- a study allowance of $600 a fortnight
- up to 12 weeks of full-time employment in your local hospital
- support from an Aboriginal mentor
- possible on-going employment with NSW Health upon completion of the program.
Find out more about scholarships and cadetships.
Learn more about our Nursing and Midwifery careers.
Resources
You can access free resources to help get you on the right career path:
- Stepping Up - supports the community and hiring managers to employ Aboriginal peoples into NSW Health.
- How to become an Aboriginal/Torres Strait Islander Health Worker - The Good Universities Guide.
Search careers
Explore Aboriginal health careers in Western NSW.
Search health careers
Contact us
Lesa Towers – Manager Aboriginal Workforce Capability, Development and Culture
Phone: (02) 6349 1608
Email: lesa.towers@health.nsw.gov.au