Victoria’s Big Housing Build and other investment in affordable housing will see the community housing sector significantly expand the stock it owns and/or manages.

The Workforce Strategy identifies actions to enable the community housing sector to grow and develop the workforce to deliver the Big Housing Build and other housing growth opportunities.

The Victorian Community Housing Workforce Strategy is tackling opportunities and challenges facing the community housing sector:

• Recruitment and retention
• The need for diversity in the make-up of the workforce.
• The need to support staff wellbeing in a industry with high and increasingly complex workloads
• An opportunity to improve data about the community housing workforce to support sound decision making about recruitment, retention and training

Key recommendations include:

1. Increase investment in workforce development: This recommendation focuses on increasing funding for training and development programs for the community housing workforce. This will help to build a skilled and capable workforce that can meet the needs of the sector.

2. Build partnerships: The strategy recommends building partnerships between community housing organisations, government agencies and other stakeholders to improve workforce development outcomes. This will help to coordinate efforts and ensure that resources are used effectively.

3. Improve recruitment and retention: The strategy recommends developing strategies to attract and retain skilled workers in the community housing sector. This includes improving job design, working conditions and remuneration.

4. Develop career pathways: The strategy recommends developing clear career pathways for workers in the community housing sector. This will help to build a sustainable workforce and ensure that there are opportunities for career progression and development.

5. Increase diversity and inclusion: The strategy recommends increasing diversity and inclusion in the community housing sector. This includes developing strategies to attract workers from diverse backgrounds, improving cultural awareness and ensuring that workplaces are inclusive and welcoming to all.