The Barossa might be best known for its wine, but  Lower North Futures is hoping to focus attention on one of the region’s problems – aged care.

Similar to initiatives in the Illawarra, Wayne Perry, Industry Project Officer for Barossa Lower North Futures, is launching a programme that aims to attract young people into the aged care industry through education, training and employment programmes.

“After much consultation with key aged care industry providers and stakeholders we identified that aged care in the Barossa region is facing an ageing workforce and an ever-increasing lack of suitably qualified and experienced aged care workers,” he said.

In an effort to combat a perception that aged care is not viewed as a credible career path by younger people, Perry hopes school-based traineeships and sponsored scholarships could reverse that outlook and attract young people into aged care in the Barossa.

“Our work experience model is almost complete and will be rolled out in the next few months,” he said.