Thinking about a career in aged care? Here are options to get you started.
The NGO Training Centre is a great starting point if you are looking to understand the key requirements and responsibilities of an aged care worker, or to maintain your skills and knowledge once you are qualified and in the workforce.
Our training is all written by subject-matter experts and field auditors, and the courses will help keep your skills and knowledge fresh and up to date with changes in legislation, particularly during these reforms.
It can fill gaps and introduce you to concepts to help close them and get you up to speed with the sector, which can be great if you are still unsure about committing to a certification that will take you anywhere from 6 to 12 months.
Check out our popular career starter pathways below and begin your learning journey today!
Pathway 1: Aged Care Foundations Pathway – only $338
This pathway gives you the essential knowledge about how aged care works in Australia.
You will learn about the Strengthened Aged Care Quality Standards, how to prevent and report elder abuse, how to support people’s independence and dignity, incident reporting, mealtime safety, falls prevention, and how to respond to choking.
These are the things every aged care worker must understand before they start work.
Pathway 2: Aged Care Support Induction Pathway – only $338
This pathway builds the practical, day-to-day skills of a great aged care worker.
You will learn about person-centred care, how to write professional progress notes, how to communicate well, how to work as part of a team, how to set professional boundaries, and how to support people living with dementia.
These are the skills that make you genuinely useful and trustworthy on the job.
To become an Aged Care Worker, however, you will very likely (at a minimum) need to complete a qualification in individual support if you don’t already have a nursing background or Australian qualifications in the field. Aged care providers, particularly residential facilities, will request this as a minimum qualification. Some may allow you to commence employment whilst studying, usually at their own risk.
You can complete the Certificate III in Individual Support (CHC33015) at a TAFE or a quality Registered Training Organisation (RTO). BUT… make sure you do your research, as not all training providers are created equal.
‘Buyer beware’ and those training providers or RTOs that seem to be too good to be true, or don’t offer support, resources or placement opportunities probably are. You can check that they are accredited and deliver nationally recognised training via the training.gov.au website. Make sure you research their validity, including checking their trainers on LinkedIn or Google. A key indicator of quality is that they sport the Nationally Recognised Training Logo and a 5-digit provider code. Another good indicator is that they provide mandated work placement support. A sign of a good RTO is that they arrange your placement for you, rather than leaving you to find your own. This process itself is very stressful for a learner and can be overwhelming when navigating an unfamiliar system.
Sadly, there have been some dishonest online training organisations that claim their modules/units can be used as Recognised Prior Learning (RPL) towards a Certificate III in Individual Support; again, approach these with great caution. You need more than microlearning credentials to become a fully qualified aged care worker.
Alternatively, if you are after more specialised training, you can complete a Certificate IV in Ageing Support (CHC40315). This will give you a good overview of aged care, the safety, legal and ethical protocols you need to know when working with the ageing individuals, as well as some leadership skills.
Above this qualification, ensure that you also have up-to-date immunisations as required, and complete certifications and checks, such as a First Aid Certificate and a National Police Check. Some organisations may fund or reimburse you for completing these, so you can always check with them before applying for a position.
With more and more regulatory requirements and a much lower risk appetite from the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission, ongoing education has never been more important to people wanting to enter the industry.
So, please do your research and become familiar with the requirements for the field you wish to specialise in before diving in headfirst.
