In Home Care, Occupational Therapy, Recruitment, Residential Aged Care

Why Occupation Therapist Teri Chose The Graduate Program At Empower

Posted on July 9, 2021November 27, 2023 by Nicole Cook

09
Jul

As a recently qualified Occupational Therapist deciding on where to apply for a job, I was looking for opportunities to learn and improve my skills. Empower Healthcare offered me a comprehensive New Grad program and extensive professional development opportunities that have given me the best start to my career.

I am being supported with

In person and online training.
Practical learning opportunities.
Professional Development time allocated within work hours.
Generous funding for external courses.
Formal and informal mentorship with experienced colleagues.
Working within supportive multi-disciplinary teams.

I have been able to work in Home Care and Residential Aged Care environments and split my time in a way that suits my life and interests, while experiencing professional autonomy within supportive teams.

Empower Healthcare is enabling me to find myself as a clinician, it can do the same for you.

What is Occupational Therapy?

The World Federation of Occupational Therapy defines Occupational Therapy as below.

“Occupational Therapy is a client-centered health profession concerned with promoting health and wellbeing through occupation… to enable people to participate in activities of daily life… by working with people and communities to enhance their ability to engage in the occupations they want to, need to, or are expected to do, or by modifying the occupation or the environment to better support their occupational engagement.” WFOT, 2012.

While many other people in the health industry are involved in the diagnosis of diseases, the occupational therapist’s role is about collaboratively setting and achieving meaningful goals.

About Empower

We Change Lives

At Empower Healthcare, we deliver life changing allied health services. Our whole team is dedicated to building and delivering exceptional services for clients, loved ones, referrers and partner organisations.

Our therapists genuinely care about the people we work with and take the time to build strong relationships that holistically improve social, physical and mental well-being.

We are a successful privately owned and operated organisation that continues to experience significant growth, driven by our fantastic services and family of professionals.

Empower healthcare is changing lives – yours could be next.

Join us to open the door to what is possible.

At Empower Healthcare we believe that our strength lies in our people. By building strong teams and supporting the professional development of our clinicians, we have established ourselves as a national Allied Health provider that raises the standards of clinical practice in Home Care, NDIS and residential aged care.

Every day we deliver high quality, innovative allied health solutions across Australia. We have opportunities for clinicians looking to develop at all career stages, from newly graduated to well established therapists wanting to lead in:

Occupational Therapy
Physiotherapy
Nursing
Podiatry
Dietetics
Osteopathy
Massage Therapy

Fastrack Your Career

Discover the possibilities with mentoring, career planning, on-line and in-person learning modules, extensive New Graduate program and external professional development. We look within for promotion to leadership roles and develop our own people to grow our business.

Work, Your Way

Create true balance with work hours that work for you, flexible leave arrangements and low stress environments.

Be Valued

We offer competitive salary packages that grow as you do and acknowledge your unique strengths and contributions.

Join the Team

Experience the satisfaction that comes from being a part of multidisciplinary teams, focused on delivering the best outcomes for the people we care for, while learning from each other.

If you’re interested to see how we can help open the door for your next career move, click on the link to learn more.

View current job opportunities

…

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In Home Care, Occupational Therapy, Recruitment, Residential Aged Care

Amanda’s Enjoys Career Progression As An Occupational Therapist At Empower

Posted on July 8, 2021November 27, 2023 by Nicole Cook

08
Jul

Empower has amazing occupational therapists and Amanda Chan reflects on her career progression and journey at Empower.

When I joined Empower Healthcare four years ago as a newly graduated Occupational Therapist, I was looking for positions close to home and support to develop as a clinician. Today, I am a Team Leader supporting other clinicians to grow and thrive, just like I did.

Empower has encouraged my professional development and given me leadership and managerial opportunities, while supporting me to return to work after maternity leave, twice!

I love being able to balance work and home life with

Flexible, family friendly work hours.
Leadership opportunities and career progression.
Varied opportunities within Home Care, NDIS and Residential Aged Care.
The ability to work from home when possible.
Internal and External professional development in my areas of interest.

I love the clients and residents I work with and being part of the team that makes the environments I work in healthy and happy for everyone.

What is Occupational Therapy?

Working as an Occupational Therapist, I often get this question, “What is occupational therapy?”. The World Federation of Occupational Therapy defines Occupational Therapy as below.

“Occupational Therapy is a client-centered health profession concerned with promoting health and wellbeing through occupation… to enable people to participate in activities of daily life… by working with people and communities to enhance their ability to engage in the occupations they want to, need to, or are expected to do, or by modifying the occupation or the environment to better support their occupational engagement.” WFOT, 2012.

While many other people in the health industry are involved in the diagnosis of diseases, the occupational therapist’s role is about collaboratively setting and achieving meaningful goals.

Amanda explains, “Whether it be helping a person with selecting a chair that can help them stand because they have difficulty standing from their couch or introducing a person to a bath lifter to help them enjoy a bath again, I always feel a sense of satisfaction when seeing the joy on people’s faces as they successfully engage in these simple yet meaningful activities again.

About Empower

We Change Lives

Our therapists genuinely care about the people we work with and take the time to build strong relationships that holistically improve social, physical and mental well-being.

We are a successful privately owned and operated organisation that continues to experience significant growth, driven by our fantastic services and family of professionals.

Empower healthcare is changing lives – yours could be next.

Join us to open the door to what is possible.

Occupational Therapy
Physiotherapy
Nursing
Podiatry
Dietetics
Osteopathy
Massage Therapy

Fastrack Your Career

Work, Your Way

Create true balance with work hours that work for you, flexible leave arrangements and low stress environments.

Be Valued

We offer competitive salary packages that grow as you do and acknowledge your unique strengths and contributions.

Join the Team

Experience the satisfaction that comes from being a part of multidisciplinary teams, focused on delivering the best outcomes for the people we care for, while learning from each other.

If you’re interested to see how we can help open the door for your next career move, click on the link to learn more.

View current job opportunities…

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Professional Development, Recruitment

Why James Enjoys Working At Empower Healthcare

Posted on June 23, 2021July 9, 2021 by Nicole Cook

23
Jun

When I joined Empower Healthcare after 9 years in private practice, I didn’t know how much working in home care would change my life. The freedom of being on the road, working in different environments and having a varied case load was a welcome change from spending 6 days a week inside at the same 4 walls.

I have the opportunity to perform real rehabilitation with real outcomes that really make a difference from helping someone learn to stand up and walk after years of being in a wheelchair to helping a father reach his goal of walking his daughter down the aisle, and surpass it, by dancing at the reception at her wedding.

For me, achieving work life balance is vital and Empower Healthcare helps me to do that by:

Guaranteeing steady income, independent of case load.
Ensuring great working hours and flexible leave arrangements.
Not expecting overtime and weekend work.
Allowing me to work independently but supporting me when I need it.

Working within a supportive team that prioritises my professional development and respects my professional autonomy and personal goals means that I enjoy going to work every day and building a career that allows me to live life, my way.

Empower healthcare is changing lives- yours could be next.

Join us to open the door to what is possible.

Occupational Therapy
Physiotherapy
Nursing
Podiatry
Dietetics
Osteopathy
Massage Therapy

Fastrack Your Career

Work, Your Way

Create true balance with work hours that work for you, flexible leave arrangements and low stress environments.

Be Valued

We offer competitive salary packages that grow as you do and acknowledge your unique strengths and contributions.

Join the Team

Experience the satisfaction that comes from being a part of multidisciplinary teams, focused on delivering the best outcomes for the people we care for, while learning from each other.

If you’re interested to see how we can help open the door for your next career move, click on the link to learn more.

View current job opportunities

…

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Professional Development, Recruitment

Why Briony Enjoys Working for Empower Healthcare

Posted on June 17, 2021November 22, 2023 by Nicole Cook

17
Jun

Briony is a valued member of our Physiotherapy Team and reflects on why she enjoys working for Empower Healthcare.

As a busy working mom and physiotherapist, I’m always looking for ways to grow and develop professionally while maintaining a balanced work and home life. When I joined Empower Healthcare 3 years ago, my focus was on transitioning back onto the workforce, I have been supported along the way with:

Flexible leave arrangements
Family friendly work hours
Supportive colleagues and managers

Empower has offered me opportunities to develop my clinical and leadership skills with generous external professional development funding, extensive in-service training and opportunities in leadership within my first year of employment. When a marketing role became available, I was afforded the opportunity to learn an entirely new skill set and split my work hours between clinical practice and marketing.

With opportunities in NDIS, Home Care and Residential Aged Care alongside career progression support in personal areas of interest, including leadership and management roles, Empower has broadened my horizons. Working in environments that foster great working relationships and support excellence in clinical practice provides me with personal and professional fulfillment and has allowed me to thrive and grow every day.

Empower healthcare is changing lives- yours could be next.

Join us to open the door to what is possible.

Occupational Therapy
Physiotherapy
Nursing
Podiatry
Dietetics
Osteopathy
Massage Therapy

Fastrack Your Career

Work, Your Way

Create true balance with work hours that work for you, flexible leave arrangements and low stress environments.

Be Valued

We offer competitive salary packages that grow as you do and acknowledge your unique strengths and contributions.

Join the Team

Experience the satisfaction that comes from being a part of multidisciplinary teams, focused on delivering the best outcomes for the people we care for, while learning from each other.

If you’re interested to see how we can help open the door for your next career move, click on the link to learn more.

Learn more

…

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Professional Development, Recruitment

Why Hongyi Enjoys Working for Empower Healthcare

Posted on June 17, 2021November 22, 2023 by Nicole Cook

17
Jun

Hongyi is a valued member of our Occupational Therapy Team and reflects on why he enjoys working for Empower Healthcare.

I have always been passionate about building strong, positive relationships with clients and helping them to live independent and happy lives. For me to do that requires constantly expanding my knowledge and experience. Empower Healthcare has helped me grow every step of the way with:

A culture of teamwork
Emphasis of professional development
Mentorship and support
A multidisciplinary approach to client care
Career goal setting

For me, work/life balance is vital. My job allows me to do what I love while having time to exercise, relax and continue to develop other parts of my life. When an opportunity for further study arose, my managers supported me in reducing my work hours to allow me time to study and attend uni.

Having the freedom to reach my personal and professional goals means that I enjoy coming to work every day!

Empower healthcare is changing lives- yours could be next.

Join us to open the door to what is possible.

Occupational Therapy
Physiotherapy
Nursing
Podiatry
Dietetics
Osteopathy
Massage Therapy

Fastrack Your Career

Work, Your Way

Create true balance with work hours that work for you, flexible leave arrangements and low stress environments.

Be Valued

We offer competitive salary packages that grow as you do and acknowledge your unique strengths and contributions.

Join the Team

Experience the satisfaction that comes from being a part of multidisciplinary teams, focused on delivering the best outcomes for the people we care for, while learning from each other.

If you’re interested to see how we can help open the door for your next career move, click on the link to learn more.

Learn more

…

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Graduate Program, Professional Development

Induction day for our 2021 graduates

Posted on January 18, 2021 by Nicole Cook

18
Jan

An exciting day at Empower Healthcare today with the induction of our 2021 graduates.

The Empower Graduate Program

Through the Empower Healthcare graduate program our graduates will receive professional support, training and a structured plan to help them transition from a graduate into a promising clinician. Our graduates are primed to get the support they need to transition into life as a first-year clinician and extend the skills they worked hard to develop at university.

We have created a comprehensive 12 month program that will provide our graduates the tools and training to grow as a professional through:

structured learning
mentoring
peer support and
e-courses.

See our Graduate Success Map below for our yearly graduate program.

At Empower, we value our staff and make everyone feel welcomed, accepted, and appreciated. Inclusivity and belonging are a part of our core values at Empower and with our graduate program, you’ll get to train with the best.

Want to learn more?

Click here for a copy of our graduate program flyer

Alternatively call Lilian for a friendly chat on 0412 709 161

…

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Graduate Program, Recruitment

In Profile – Kendall Sutton, 2019 Graduate Program Member and Site Leader

Posted on October 31, 2019November 27, 2023 by Nicole Cook

31
Oct

Name: Kendall Sutton

Position: Physiotherapist, Site Leader

When did you join Empower? February 2019

Why did you choose Empower?

I was at the APA Job Show and, to be honest, was drawn to the guys at Empower for the Keep Cup and show bag they had on offer! I ended up having a long chat with Matthew, the COO and shared a joke or two with him over the course of the night.

I left the APA Job Show really impressed with the supportive and family orientated feel I got from Empower. I hadn’t considered aged care to this point, but something told me that this opportunity could be too good to pass on.

What do you love most about your job?

There’s not one thing that I could isolate. My clients are so grateful for even the smallest of things I do or recommend. I have picked up some awesome dad jokes and been given delicious family recipes from the grandmas – I love building a genuine connection with my clients.

From a career point of view, I get a heap of support from my managers. There’s a lot of room to grow in the company, and since starting in February I’ve also taken on clients in home care, which has exposed me to a bigger variety of conditions.

What has been your most memorable moment?

After working at a different facility for a week or two, I returned to one where I’ve spent the majority of this year – I walked in to see one of my clients, a cute little Italian ‘nonna’, and when she saw me, she praised Jesus for bringing me back to see her. I always have a good laugh with my clients – it brings a lot of joy to their days – and I know I help them immensely from a Physio point of view as well.

Another that comes to mind was a patient who had not been able to use their arm or care for themselves after a nasty fall prior to us meeting. Instead of continuing the current treatment course, I suggested a different approach that has been successful enough for him to take back some independence where he can now dress himself and comb his hair.

In what ways has Empower supported your growth personally & professionally?

To put it simply, it’s the management team’s support of both my natural abilities and the skills I’m learning on the job.

There are multiple aspects to how Empower and my managers helped me to become the Physio I am today. There is a whole matrix of supports to help. One key element is the grad program, which is a structured way to keep me learning. It is both theoretical and practical with an array of experienced practitioners to walk you through different topics. Secondly, from the very get-go you get allocated an experienced mentor in which you can ask questions and observe. No matter how busy my mentor was, they always made sure to address my concerns – this was a pleasant change coming from the busy hospitals I’d experienced during Uni placements.

With their support, I have been fortunate enough to progress this year to the role of Site Leader where I oversee the Empower team’s allied health services at the facility I’m based out of, as well as working with clients personally.

How do your supervisors help you learn on-the-job?

Empower’s culture stands out to me – it feels like a family run business. This is highlighted in their staff. My supervisors were quick to pick up on my learning style – I was eager to get in there and have a go, but always wanted to debrief. I’m a talker, and I needed a sounding board which my supervisors provided me with.

During these discussions, I was asked questions, but importantly, I was asked what my recommendation and thoughts were as well – I wasn’t just being told what-was-what, I was treated as a colleague. There were observations, both ways. I observed them treating clients and they observed me treating clients – not with a marking paper in hand mind you! And so, this process continued; discussions, observation, treatments and ultimately professional growth.

Can you reveal important factors that help a graduate transition into a Site Leader?

On the surface, I feel like becoming the Site Leader was right-place-right-time. In reality, I’ve never been that lucky. I have a pretty big personality, and my sporting career has taken me far and wide where I had the opportunity to represent Australia. I guess when the word leadership is thrown around, I automatically think team captain – and that was me.

Qualities and positive character traits that I believe have led to my career advancement include; a strong work ethic, inquisitive, approachable, creative, enthusiastic, perceptive, compassionate, dependable and personable.

I work hard, I help others where I can, and I always make time for my team when they need me. I put my hand up to help out on weekends when needed (time and a-half is a bonus!). I was able to put my own spin on treatments and suggest new processes to help make our clinicians more efficient whilst working – something as simple as make referrals digital saves time walking around. I love talking, but I am also a good listener. Naturally, this combination goes hand-in-hand with building rapport and friendships with my Empower team, with staff at the location I’m working, and importantly with my clients.

What piece of advice would you give your new graduate self?

Save your pennies and be kind to your mother – warned you about the dad Jokes.

On a more serious note, consider joining an organisation that offers a grad program; it’s a nice transition into your working life. It helps get your brain ticking again after finishing studying. The detail of the grad program is where it really helps, from creating goals (SMART goals), to identifying weakness and …

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Graduate Program, Professional Development

How a Graduate Program Benefits You

Posted on October 28, 2019June 10, 2020 by Nicole Cook

28
Oct

Choosing your first workplace to kick-start your career can be a little daunting and yet so exciting at the same time. An organisation that provides a graduate program can offer you rewarding opportunities and benefits.

Graduate programs can provide you with support, training and a structured plan to help you transition from a graduate into a promising clinician.

So, what sets one graduate program apart from another?

Here’s what you should be looking for when evaluating a graduate program:

1. Mentoring

In a graduate program, you should receive hands-on mentoring that you won’t find in most jobs. A mentor will individually guide and help you through your journey. You can’t find this priceless information in an employee handbook!

2. Exposure to work across varied caseloads

The organisation of choice should be able to offer you the chance to be exposed to diverse environments, clients and conditions so that you can develop well-rounded skills. Research each program carefully and confirm if that you will have the opportunity to thrive in a diverse range of treatment cases with work colleagues from different background experiences.

3. Flexible learning structure

Everyone has their own preferred learning style. Does the organisation take this into account and provide a graduate learning and development program that accommodates auditory, visual and or kinaesthetic approaches?

4. Informal career planning & evaluations

Informal career assessments are a way to help you gain a better understanding of who you are, what you would like to learn and what you would be good at. Through informal conversations and self-reflection worksheets, you can discover your true passions and what is standing in the way from reaching your goals. Make sure your graduate program of choice is genuinely interested in you, your aspirations and is prepared to implement individual activities for personal growth.

5. Clear career succession pathway

Does the graduate program impart a clear career progression advancement pathway? It’s important to know what career opportunities within the organisation are available beyond the graduate year. You want to assess an organisation in terms of its ability in; developing talented people, building a pipeline of future leaders and if you have a sense of control over your career.

Using the five criteria above will greatly help you short-list your preferred graduate programs for application. Have peace of mind that this process will ensure you choose an organisation that can help you become the very best you can be.

Empower’s Graduate Program

Our professional and comprehensive graduate program can set the foundations for a bright career!

Get the support you need to transition into life as a first-year clinician and extend the skills you worked hard to develop at university.

We have created a comprehensive 12 month program that provides you with the tools and training to grow as a professional through:

structured learning
mentoring
peer support and
e-courses.

See our Graduate Success Map below for our yearly graduate program.

If you’re looking to get your physio career kicked off to a great start, make sure you apply with Empower.

Make sure you don’t miss out!

We have 10 graduate program positions available for 2020.

Applications close 10 December 2019.

Need more info?

Call Lilian our Recruitment Manager for a copy of our our Graduate Program flyer on 0412 709 161

Interested in joining the Empower family?

Learn more

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