After almost two decades working at the Electrolux plant in Orange, Carol Harris had never considered a career change.
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When the company decided to relocate production overseas, however, the decision was made for her.
Ms Harris, 56, ended up retraining to work in aged care, a sector with acute demand for staff across a wide area of NSW.
"It's a change I don't regret," said Ms Harris, who now works for regional community service provider CareWest. "No one is getting any younger. The work is always going to be there."
Demand for aged care workers will be strongest in regional areas, according to future projections, but some of the most affluent parts of Sydney will also suffer shortages.
Analysis conducted by the Western Research Institute for non-profit training provider Verto examined the ratio of aged care workers to potential clients by 2031, finding that the average across NSW would be one worker for every 18 people.
But in the local government area of Conargo in the state's Riverina, the ratio is 450 people per worker, while in the former Palerang Council near Canberra, the ratio is 138:1.
Wollondilly, south west of Sydney, has the third highest projected shortage in the state with 83 seniors per worker.
The research found metropolitan local government areas accounted for 40 per cent of aged care hot spots, with the local government areas of Fairfield, Mosman, Woollahra, Marrickville, Strathfield, Rockdale, Botany Bay and Canterbury forecast to have the biggest deficits.
The report noted shortages would be offset by greater labour mobility and shorter travel times in urban areas.
Verto chief executive Ron Maxwell described the findings as a "looming crisis" while the Western Research Institute's general manager Wendy Mason said more people needed to be encouraged to take up aged care careers.
"If this process is managed correctly, the rewards will be appropriate care for our aged populations, a viable industry and reliable jobs," she said.
The federal senate is holding an inquiry into the future of Australia's aged care workforce, which needs to increase from 350,000 workers to 1.3 million by 2050, according to a submission from Leading Aged Services Australia which represents providers.
Aged care training is among the qualifications offered under the NSW government's Smart and Skilled program, which provides subsidised courses to eligible students, including mature age workers who have been retrenched.
NSW Minister for Skills John Barilaro said the program was aimed at training people in areas where there is demand for qualified staff.
"Vocational education and training gives people access to a range of skills and qualifications recognised by employers in all industries, with the aim of linking mature age students to jobs needed by NSW employers," he added.
Ms Harris, who assists older people to stay in their own homes by helping with shopping and domestic tasks, hopes her new career sees her out to her own retirement.
"It is helping them but they actually help me and they don't know it," she said. "I have learned so much from them. I really love hearing their stories. Some of them have lived through the depression, through World War II. They are amazing."
