The aged care industry is booming like no other. Australia’s ageing population is growing, and demand for professional support workers is growing with it. The number of people requiring aged care is set to double by the year 2050, and the Australian government predicts there will be about 179,000 job openings over five years – in what is already a huge sector.

What this means for you is that, once qualified, you’ll have plentiful career opportunities. You can get employment in the sector quickly and get started building a successful, fulfilling aged care career. And it’s doubtful that you’ll have to worry about unemployment with this kind of demand, making aged care a future-proof career.

There are many positions within the aged care industry to suit a variety of skills and personalities. There are careers in frontline support, administration, human resources, and catering as well as managerial and corporate roles. There are also a variety of situations you as a support worker can work within.

You may work as a personal carer with elderly persons or families with people who receive aged care. Career opportunities abound in community care where you can offer in-home care and services. Alternately, you might work at a residential aged care facility, providing continuous nursing support. Or you might choose to work at a community-based aged care provider, or in respite care services for those at the end of their lives. 

Whether they work in community care, residential care or respite care, a support worker will report to the registered nurse or supervisor and work under their direction. With the appropriate professional development and career development opportunities, you can progress to supervisory roles and oversee other team members, or behind the scenes managing the overall operation of care facilities and support services.

Without a doubt, working in the aged care sector can become an extremely rewarding and fulfilling career. However, it does come with its challenges both physically and emotionally. Caring for an aged person or one with a disability can have its physical demands. For example, if you are in a support role where you are required to provide hands-on assistance.

You may also be in a situation where you are required to manage someone with difficult behaviours or health issues, you may be working in an environment where you will experience grief and loss and you may be exposed to the emotion of friends and family throughout your career as a support worker.

There are several key skills and attributes that aged care workers require to build a successful career in the industry. Employers lookout for those with a caring and supportive attitude, good communication skills, patience and discretion and physically fit. Embodying a positive outlook, having a high level of professionalism and showing a natural empathy towards the elderly or disabled are also desirable traits of an aged care worker.

If you are planning to explore a career in aged care, you might be wondering: what qualifications do I need to work in aged care? There is a huge range of carer courses available to suit your needs.

Do you need a qualification to work in aged care?

While a qualification isn’t strictly required to work in aged care, they will prepare you for working in the sector and enable you to begin working straight away. Many employers prefer workers with a qualification since they need less training and supervision to begin with.

Whether you have the time to study full-time in class, or part-time via an aged care course online, there’s an option for you.

Available qualification types for aged care that can be studied at TAFE:

If you’re wondering how to become an aged carer, there are two main paths. You can study aged care, or take on a traineeship or apprenticeship.

In addition to your qualification, aged carers also need a first aid certificate. Some employers will require you to hold a driver’s license, a national police check, and manual handling training.

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If you love working with people and helping people a career in the aged care sector could be suitable for you. Working with the elderly or those with a disability that requires assistance can bring a huge amount of joy into someone else’s life.

You may become their personal assistant, their confidant, their emotional crutch, perhaps their cook or cleaner.

It’s more than just being a carer. It is a very satisfying career which will leave you knowing you have enhanced the lives of your clients, whether that’s by allowing them to remain living in their own home for as long as possible or providing them intensive support within a high care facility.