Starting a career in aged care: your essential guide
If you’re considering starting a career in aged care and want to learn more about the industry, job specifics and your training options, you’ve come to the right place! In this blog post, we cover all the essential information you need to make an informed choice to enter this rewarding and in-demand profession.
Did you know that over one million older Australians receive aged care services, and that number is expected to triple by 2050 in line with Australia’s ageing population? As a result, it makes aged care a fast-growing sector offering plenty of job opportunities.
By delivering practical assistance with daily activities, healthcare needs, and emotional support, aged care workers are motivated by the fulfilment of caregiving and responsible for enhancing the quality of life and overall wellbeing of senior citizens.
So, what does it take to start a career in aged care? Let’s jump in!
What’s involved in being an aged care worker?
We all have older loved ones and want them to receive the best possible care in managing the physical, cognitive, and emotional challenges caused by ageing. Aged care workers play a crucial role in ensuring that seniors receive the assistance they need to maintain their health and independence for as long as possible, across both residential and home care settings.
The daily responsibilities of aged care workers include:
Mobility assistance
Meal preparation and feeding
Bathing and hygiene
Dressing and grooming
Toileting and incontinence care
Emotional support
Medication management
Other personal care including oral care, hair care, skin care, etc.
First and foremost, it will be your responsibility to protect patients from physical harm, but you can also expect to provide a level of companionship to maintain their psychological health. Learning to balance empathy and professionalism in navigating the highs and lows of your patients’ lives will be crucial to both your success and their wellbeing.
Am I suited to aged care work?
Evaluating your personality and values is an essential consideration before starting a career in aged care. Helpful, compassionate, patient, attentive, supportive, reliable. If some or all of these words have been used to describe you by friends, family or colleagues, it’s a good sign you may be suited to aged care work!
Due to the vulnerability of those in aged care, it takes a special kind of person for whom helping is second nature, to provide the empathy and dedication required to ensure a safe and dignified existence for older people. You’ll need to feel comfortable and not squeamish with duties such as bathing or toileting patients, and do so in a way that is responsible and respectful.
The following two paragraphs relate to working in an aged care facility. Some students may decide to be employed in Home Care, which is much less taxing and does not include long hours on your feet or dealing with residents who are in pain and confused. Home Care clients tend to be much more independent and just need help and support; not full-on care.
Although aged care offers plenty of rewards, it’s also a tough and demanding profession, and workers in aged care facilities can find themselves dealing with physical and emotional fatigue from caregiving. From a physical standpoint, you may face long hours on your feet tending to residents and undertake a number of duties such as lifting and transferring residents or operating medical equipment; all of which can take a toll on the body, especially when proper techniques and self-care are not followed.
From an emotional perspective, you may need to confront the pain, confusion, loneliness or frustration commonly experienced by some residents and offer reassurance without jeopardising your own mental health. Spending time listening and providing companionship, not to mention navigating family dynamics, can be emotionally draining for workers and you must be resilient to overcome any feelings of sadness or hopelessness.
That’s why making an informed choice about aged care training and employment is so important, as when you’re inevitably put to the test, having a genuine love of helping people and dedication to the cause will see you through.
What qualifications do you need to work in aged care in Australia?
In accordance with Australia’s Department of Health and Aged Care laws, there are currently no minimum standard qualifications for entry-level care and support workers. That being said, most organisations and roles will require a formal qualification for you to gain employment.
The CHC33021 Certificate III in Individual Support is the entry qualification needed for aged care professionals; a pathway to caregiving jobs including those in the aged care and disability sectors. It will give you the foundational skills to thrive in support services and offer you greater employability from the very start. In fact, it’s extremely rare for an organisation to take on someone who doesn’t hold this qualification. Looking ahead, once you’ve had some experience in the industry, you can enrol in Certificate IV in Ageing Support (CHC43015) to build on your skills further and learn leadership and advanced care techniques. Certificate IV in Aged Care is also your ticket to better salary prospects.
Key skills you’ll gain from Certificate III in Individual Support:
Supporting independence and wellbeing
Communication
Working with diverse people
Legal and ethical work practices
Recognising healthy body systems
Safe work practices for direct client care.
(Source: Victorian Skills Gateway)
A criterion for successful completion of the Certificate III in Individual Support is practical placement, which allows students to gain exposure to a real workplace and put their skills and knowledge learnt in the classroom to the test. You’ll need to undertake a minimum number of work hours (120 hours) during this placement to demonstrate the course outcomes and receive your qualification.
And before you enter employment or begin study, you’ll need to undergo a screening process which includes a Police Check and a Working with Children Check to verify your industry eligibility. By picking the right training provider, they can assist you with this process and secure a favourable work placement.
Training costs can often be a barrier to entry for prospective students, but the good news is that CHC330121 Certificate III in Individual Support is eligible for government funding. In fact, the course fees can be much lower than you may think.
Why should I work in aged care and what are my career prospects?
In an ideal world, possessing a genuine passion for a type of work would be enough of an incentive to pursue a career in that field. However, we know that ongoing job availability and security is also a key consideration. Fortunately, aged care delivers on both fronts.
According to economic modelling conducted in 2020, direct care aged care staff will need to grow by 70% – which is more than 130,000 additional full-time equivalent professionals – by 2050 to maintain current staffing levels. The current and projected shortages mean that the aged care sector is increasing their commitment to a sustainable workforce. Aged care providers are strengthening their employee benefits to attract new talent, while the government is providing funding incentives; all of which is great news for aged care workers in securing a good working environment, future promotion prospects and stable employment. It’s also a positive sign for improving the level of care workers can provide to their clients.
You’re likely wondering about the job satisfaction reported by workers in this industry. A research study that surveyed the perceptions of Australian aged care workers between 2019-2020 discovered the following: the vast majority of participants (98%) indicated they thought they were doing a worthwhile and important job, and 94% were proud to work in the sector and found the job personally rewarding.
Where can I work in aged care?
There is no one-size-fits-all solution for older Australians who experience different aged care needs, from those patients who need some lifestyle assistance in the home to others who require permanent, round-the-clock care. As a result, becoming qualified in aged care opens the door to a variety of caregiving opportunities and settings to suit your career goals.
Most common aged care job roles:
Residential care support worker – working with patients living in a residential aged care facility with varying support needs via respite or permanent care.
Home care support worker – working with clients who still live in their own homes in an assisted-living arrangement, catering to mild to moderate support needs.
Community support worker – supporting seniors who live in a residential care facility with daily activities and organising group activities within the community.
Lifestyle coordinator – Planning and carrying out enjoyable activities to empower seniors; typically employed by residential aged care facilities.
Home care affords greater independence to aged care workers to shape care plans, whereas residential care has a more structured environment where processes and routines are already well established. You’ll get the opportunity to work alongside other professionals in residential care, whereas home care requires you to work far more autonomously.
Another difference is that home care allows you to work with clients one-on-one, while residential care enables you to administer care across more residents. You’ll find a lively, more fast-paced setting in residential care, and a generally quieter and slower pace within home care. Rostered shifts that can rotate across a 24-hour period are typical in residential care, with more fixed hours – generally morning or evening—applicable to home care.
How to pick the right aged care training provider
Your choice of course and aged care training provider is the key to setting you up for success in the industry. A reputable and student-focused provider can help you: develop relevant, job-ready skills, sustain your motivation to complete your study, provide a better work placement experience and even find post-training employment sooner. On the flip side, a course or provider that is not aligned to your needs could delay or derail your aged care journey.
Here are some questions you ought to consider before enrolling with a provider:
Are they upfront about costs or do they have hidden fees?
Are their courses informed by close, ongoing industry consultation?
Is the training practical and hands-on for superior job readiness?
Do they offer flexible and personalised learning plans?
Are the trainers experienced in the industry, reliable and invested in your growth?
Do they have the industry relationships to help you source practical placement?
Will they assist with resume development and networking towards employment?
Nepean Edge Industry Training (NIET) offers both CHC33021 Certificate III in Individual Support and CHC43015 Certificate IV in Ageing Support in Melbourne, and takes a student-centred approach where learning is personalised and supportive. For starters, we’ll conduct a pre-training review to ensure the intended course is a good fit for your skill level, career expectations, and answer any questions you may have. From there, you’ll receive end-to-end support in your training and workplace transition, including one-on-one study sessions, assistance with practical placement, and resume writing to secure employment in aged care.
The NIET industry edge:
Strong Industry Relationships – our courses are designed with robust input from industry, delivering job-ready skills
Flexible Training - students favour the ongoing support received with in-person training, with on- or off site customised training options for employers.
Passionate People - our professional, accredited facilitators bring learning content to life, empowering students to succeed.
Value for Money – with government funding and low administrative fees, our courses are often more cost-effective than TAFE.
Starting a career in aged care may seem daunting, but with motivation and supportive training, you can play a fundamental role in caring for ageing members of the community while enriching your own life with meaningful experiences and connections.
