Tips For Becoming An Aged Care Worker
Are you tired of unfulfilling minimum wage jobs in retail and hospitality? If you want a career that is both rewarding and lucrative, then becoming an aged care worker may be your calling. Due to Australia’s growing elderly population, aged care workers are more in demand than ever. The country’s aging population relies on support from nurturing individuals like you. If this sounds even remotely interesting to you, keep reading. You won’t be surprised at how easy it is to jump start your career.
Getting Your Qualifications
The first step to becoming an aged care worker is to get your certificate III in aged care. A great part about the certification process is that most courses are delivered entirely online, so you won’t have to quit your day job yet! The certificate III in aged care program helps you develop the necessary skills to succeed and you will be completely job-ready after you receive your certificate. Some of the potential job opportunities include: field officer, home care assistant, nursing assistant, and an accommodation support worker. The opportunities and rewards in this field are endless!
Additional Opportunities
After you receive your certificate III in aged care, you’ll be qualified to provide both in-home and facilitated care to elderly patients. Don’t ever feel stagnant in your first position. There are several additional certificates where you can specialize in other areas such as disabilities and community care. Once you get your foot in the door and gain valuable experience, there’s always the opportunity to work your way up to an administrative or management position in a care facility.
Day-to-Day Life as an Aged Care Worker
Aged care workers can be found throughout all of Australia. A lot of your responsibilities would include showering, assisting with self-medication, cleaning, and clothing elderly patients. The daily tasks require patience and someone with a caring personality. You’ll either take care of patients in their homes or in residential aged care facilities. The job can be demanding, but there’s no bigger reward than to help fellow human beings.
Still Not Convinced Yet?
Starting a new career, or even your first career for that matter is daunting. Everyone fears the unknown. To shed some more light on this rewarding career, take a look at some of the below statistics:
- The average wage for an aged care worker is AU$20.76 per hour.
- Over the next five years there will be roughly 184,000 job openings.
- Full-time workers only work an average of 35.1 hours per week.
- The profession has a lower unemployment rate than the national average.
- Most work in the sectors of health care and social assistance.
Make a Difference in Someone’s Life
An aged care worker isn’t just a skill, it’s a way of life. After you receive an online certificate III in aged care, the journey will be determined by you. Whatever path you do end up taking, know that caring for the week will have a positive impact on both your life and the life of others.