CQUniversity has shared in a Minister's Award for Excellence in Workforce Development - Innovation in Partnerships.

The award honoured the partnership between the University and Sunshine Coast disability services care provider Link In.

The University has been developing a partnership with Link In to provide training for staff and to create ongoing educational opportunities.

Link In has been operating on the Sunshine Coast for at least 10 years and assists people living with a disability and/or a mental illness in all aspects of their care. It provides home-based services from once a week to 24-hour care.  The organisation currently has more than 150 employees.

CQUniversity lecturer Gerry Dares said with Link In's recent rapid growth as a care provider the organisation requires an increase in employees skilled specifically in supporting people living with a disability, particularly a mental illness.

The organisation's management team has identified it would like to enhance the skill level of current employees and also provide them with a career pathway.

For these reasons the organisation approached CQUniversity to develop an education program that would meet the needs of the Link In employees and their organisation as a whole.

Link In has identified that this initiative with CQUniversity is a first for Queensland and it has caught the interest of a number of people working in the disability sector.

A training needs analysis is currently underway to identify what is required of the educational program.

"There has been much interest and excitement from both sides as to the future development of our partnership," Mr Dares said.

"Link In has the capacity to provide a core number of employees to initiate a new University program based around the care of people with a disability.

"There has also been some preliminary discussion of an undergraduate degree or a higher degree program."

Mr Dares also foresees the opportunity for the University's higher degree students to conduct research within Link In facilities and there could be practical placements for both nursing and social work undergraduate students.