‘The wrong sex’? Understanding men’s representation in the Australian aged care sector

Abstract

With projected future demand severely outstripping the current workforce size, it is crucial for the Australian aged care sector to develop strategies to encourage non-traditional workers (such as men) into the sector. Yet despite some recent progress, there is still surprisingly little empirical evidence about how to attract and retain men into gender atypical occupations such as aged care. This article offers an in-depth and innovative investigation into male aged care workers, their experience of the work and future employment plans. Using a mixed methods design, this article combines the findings from an analysis of the Australian National Aged Care Workforce Census and Survey with the findings arising from 51 in-depth interviews conducted with male aged care workers. The integration of these findings allows us to understand the determinants of men’s representation in the aged care sector so that workforce strategies and policies can be generated about how the sector can best attract and retain male workers to meet current and future skill shortages.