Working in Disability: The Most Rewarding Jobs in the Industry
Disability is an industry that offers varied roles for every passion and every talent. It’s also an in-demand field – the demand is so high for disability workers in Australia that the skills and qualifications required to enter this industry are included on the Australian government’s Priority Skills List, making potential workers eligible for subsidised course fees.
The rollout of the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) in Australia has also brought many new job opportunities in the sector.
Many jobs in the sector pay well and/or have opportunities to work part-time and flexibly.
| Jobs in the disability sector include: | Median Pay: | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Disability support worker | $59k |
| 2 | Allied health worker in the disability sector | $79k |
| 3 | Support coordinator | $79k |
| 4 | Access and inclusion work | $70k |
| 5 | Disability advocacy | $90k |
1. Disability Support Worker
The role involves:
Disability support workers (or carers) provide long-term, hands-on support services for clients with disabilities. They’re typically employed by disability service providers and support clients in their own homes and in the community.
They may also offer respite services: where families will usually care for an individual, a respite care worker enables families to take a break from caring duties.
You don’t technically need a qualification to become a disability support worker. However, many employers will prefer candidates to have completed TAFE studies in related areas.
Plus, getting a qualification is a useful way to learn about the industry, how to do the job well and safely, and learn how to uphold the National Standards for Disability Services.
Relevant courses may overlap disability and aged care, and include:
Average disability support worker salary:
2. Allied health worker
Allied health workers use their specialist training and skills to promote the wellbeing of clients.
Allied health workers include:
Physiotherapists
They treat a wide range of conditions and injuries with exercises, massage and manipulation, and specialised tools. Physiotherapists can choose to specialise in rehabilitation (e.g. working with clients recovering from strokes or car accidents), or in specific disabilities/health conditions.
Occupational therapists
They help people experiencing injury and disability participate in their life as fully as possible. This may involve prescribing exercises, showing people adaptive tools, and activity and environment modification.
Social workers
They help people encountering problems in their life by providing emotional and practical support. In the disability sector, they can provide talk therapy, mental health support, make action plans to help people through challenges (e.g. returning to work, experiencing inaccessibility), and connect people to resources.
Speech pathologists
They assess, diagnose, and treat communication and swallowing disorders in adults, young people, and children.
Allied health workers are highly skilled professionals and working in these professions tends to require relevant training. At a minimum, you would be required to complete a relevant Bachelor’s degree qualification (which takes around 3 years full-time). Some specialisations may require further study.
What’s an alternative pathway into allied health?
If you’re looking to dip your toes into allied health work, alternative pathways are also possible. Some TAFE courses (such as Certificate IV in Allied Health Assistance) will qualify you to assist in service delivery under professional supervision.
This can help you to get a feel for the job, and get paid for your work, before making an informed choice about whether to undertake further studies.
Average allied health worker salary:
3. Support coordinator
Like support workers, support coordinators are dedicated to increasing the independence of people living with disabilities. However, their work is less hands-on, and more focused on opening opportunities and thinking strategically. They work with individual clients to increase their confidence and ensure they’re well-supported.
The role involves:
Relevant requirements to enter this field might include:
Typically, there are no specific qualifications that are required for these roles. That said, many job advertisements expect some form of qualification in:
It may be possible to gain entry from work experience, such as disability support work. You’ll also need to undergo a police check.
Average support coordinator salary:
4. Access and inclusion
Many organisations, such as larger workplaces, TAFEs, and universities, employ people who ensure that policies and practices enable and encourage inclusion.
These roles have a range of titles, including (but not limited to):
Access and Inclusion Coordinator
Disability Liaison Officer
Accommodation Manager
Regardless of job title, these workers ensure that organisations are a safe, inclusive place where everyone has an equal opportunity to thrive.
The role involves:
Relevant requirements to enter this field might include:
Although these roles don’t tend to require any specific qualifications, you do need to demonstrate a thorough understanding of a wide range of disabilities. Lived experience can be particularly valuable, as can previous work in the disability sector.
Qualifications that would be advantageous include:
You would also likely need to pass a police check.
Average access and inclusion salary range:
While the role of access and inclusion currently doesn’t have average salary data, recent job advertisements for this role reveal a salary range of $70-130k.
Job advertisement data was listed on Indeed.
5. Advocate
A range of non-profit organisations, hospitals, and government bodies employ advocates. When people in the community have complaints such as discrimination or exclusion, an advocate can be involved in resolving the situation and ensuring that individual rights are protected.
Some advocates will work on behalf of a range of marginalised groups, others specialise, for instance, in disability advocacy.
Working as an advocate may involve:
Helping people go through complaints procedures.
This involves understanding the correct and most effective avenues for complaints, and filing relevant paperwork on behalf of clients.
Managing disagreements and complaints
Such as mediating disagreements, and escalating complaints if an appropriate resolution hasn’t been found.
Assessing clients to make submissions.
For example, submissions to Royal Commissions or reviews.
Reviewing government and organisational decisions.
Reviewing decisions made by governments or organisations to check if it upholds legal and social justice principles.
Advocating for those who can't advocate for themselves.
In hospital settings, potentially advocating for individuals who are too unwell to drive their own advocacy. This may involve seeking second opinions, ensuring your client consents to treatment, and ensuring they’re getting appropriate care.
Empowering clients through knowledge and resources.
Generally, advocates will empower clients to speak for themselves, but will provide useful knowledge and resources to assist. For example, they may know the relevant legislation or policies that the individual can use to make their complaint more effective.
Educating clients.
Teaching self-advocacy skills to people with disabilities and their families and friends.
Relevant requirements to enter this field might include:
Advocates do not require any specific qualification. However, they will be knowledgeable about legal frameworks and social justice.
Studies in these areas can be incredibly useful:
Average advocate salary:
There are many ways you can make a positive difference in the lives of people with disabilities. The sector needs passionate people with a range of skill sets and experiences to bring care, support, creative strategies, inclusion, and justice to this diverse community.
Courses found:
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