Workforce Insights and Forecasting

Workforce data and insights solutions, including design and development of innovative data linkage approaches that aim to transform the way we gather the critical insights needed for workforce development and planning in social services across Australia

Register here to be among the first to be notified of the release of WIDI’s new social services workforce data and insights innovation linking State and Federal Government data to understand the Victorian Specialist Homelessness Services workforce

The social services workforce is one of Australia’s largest workforces and is forecast to grow further in coming years. To date, both the sector and government have lacked access to consistent and timely workforce data resulting in significant gaps in understandings of workforce size, capability, and future outlook. Deficiencies in available data have made it impossible to track workforce changes over time or make meaningful comparisons with other social service sectors.

WIDI’s Workforce Insights and Forecasting team has worked on a range of projects to provide critical workforce data and insights for many of our partners in the sector and government. With expert understanding of the social services sector and workforce challenges, WIDI’s team is able to provide meaningful workforce data and insights solutions to workforce planning, through: 

  • Linking and translating data and insights for workforce development and planning,

  • Designing surveys that meet specific needs.

WIDI’s ‘first-of-its-kind’ data linkage project has drawn on our deep knowledge of the social service workforce in collaboration with our sector and government partners design and pilot a new approach to social service workforce data and insights by accessing and linking existing government data sets. Our ethics-approved project with the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) links State Government data with national government data sets such as the Australian Tax Office, Census, BLADE, DSS, DESE, Home Affairs, Medicare, and Services Australia using the ABS’s national data linkage system, the Multi Agency Data Integration Project (MADIP).

WIDI’s MADIP project explores a new way of understanding the Victorian Specialist Homelessness Services (SHS) workforce by accessing and linking State Government data with other Federal Government agencies to provide new insights into the size and composition of the workforce, identify key issues currently facing individual workers, and explore how the workforce is changing over time. This information will inform the development of targeted initiatives to build capacity and capability within the SHS workforce.

To learn more about this project
please contact our team

Chris.Halacas@rmit.edu.au