Menu

  • All Courses
    • Accounting
    • Aged Care
    • Agile
    • Agriculture
    • Alcohol & Other Drugs
    • Allied Health
    • Animal Care
    • Animal Science
    • Arts
    • Automotive
    • Beauty
    • Blockchain
    • Bookkeeping
    • Building & Construction
    • Business
    • Business Administration
    • Business Development
    • Business Operations
    • Carpentry
    • Celebrancy
    • Change Management
    • Child Care
    • Cloud Computing
    • Coding
    • Community Services
    • Compliance & Risk
    • Conservation & Land Management
    • Counselling
    • Criminal Justice & Psychology
    • Culinary Arts
    • Customer Engagement
    • Cyber Security
    • Dance
    • Data Science & Analytics
    • Dental Assisting
    • Design
    • Digital Marketing
    • Digital Media
    • Disability
    • Dog Training
    • Education
    • Education Support
    • Engineering
    • Entrepreneurship
    • Event Management
    • Eyebrow Specialist
    • Eyelash Extension
    • Fashion Design
    • Finance
    • Financial Planning
    • Government
    • Graphic Design
    • Hairdressing
    • Health
    • Health Admin
    • Health Science
    • Health Services Assistance
    • Herbal Medicines
    • Horse Breeding & Equine Studies
    • Horticulture
    • Hospitality
    • Human Resources
    • Interior Design
    • IT
    • Leadership & Management
    • Legal
    • Life Coaching
    • Logistics
    • Makeup
    • Management
    • Manufacturing
    • Marketing
    • Massage
    • MBA
    • Mental Health
    • Microsoft
    • MYOB
    • Nail Technology
    • Natural Therapies
    • Naturopathy
    • Networking
    • Nursing
    • Nutrition
    • Nutritional Medicine
    • Organisational Development
    • Pathology
    • Payroll
    • Pet Grooming
    • Photography
    • Plumbing
    • PMBOK
    • Practice Management
    • PRINCE2®
    • Professional Development
    • Programming
    • Project Management
    • Psychology
    • Real Estate
    • Retail
    • Sales
    • Science
    • Security
    • Small Business
    • Social Media Marketing
    • Social Science
    • Software
    • Sports & Fitness
    • Supply Chain Operations
    • Sustainability
    • Systems Administration
    • Tourism
    • Training & Assessment
    • Travel
    • User Experience Design
    • UX/UI
    • Veterinary Nursing
    • Web Design
    • Web Development
    • Wedding Planning
    • Work Health & Safety
    • Xero
    • Youth Work
    • View All Courses
  • Search Courses
  • Online Courses
  • Education Providers
  • Workforce Training
  • TAFE Directory
  • Student Hub
  • Contact Us
  • About Us

How to Become a Case Manager: An Intellectual Career That Makes a Positive Impact

To become a case manager, you need specific practical skills in social services. Although not formally required, a qualification like a Certificate III in Community Services (CHC32015) or Diploma in Community Services (CHC52015) can help you gain entry into the role.

Discover what a job in case management is like and learn what it takes to get a job in this essential, fulfilling role.

case-manager
  • Overview
  • Job Satisfaction
  • Skills
  • How to Become
  • Start Learning
  • Reviews

Case manager job description
info Where we source our data

Let’s get real. Job information online can often be overly optimistic — conveniently glossing over the raw bits. But when you’re making decisions about your future, you need all the facts.

That’s why we anonymously surveyed case managers about their job, with hopes of getting an honest insight into what it’s really like.

While we did our best to ensure respondents were Australians and verified their job titles with proof of employment, we can’t guarantee complete accuracy — or that your experiences in the field will reflect theirs. So, we suggest that you take these insights as a guide only and try to talk to people in the field before making an important decision.

Case managers work closely with their clients to coordinate support services, as well as provide safe, timely and efficient care that places the client at the forefront. They are responsible for creating treatment plans and reviewing case progress, and help their clients make informed decisions about their treatment options.
Organising

Organising
info
Based on our career survey data, these are the words that workers would use to describe their jobs.

Cooperative

Cooperative
info
Based on our career survey data, these are the words that workers would use to describe their jobs.

Imaginative

Imaginative
info
Based on our career survey data, these are the words that workers would use to describe their jobs.

Tasks and responsibilities for a case manager

Case managers care about others and have a passion for the rights of vulnerable people. They work directly with clients to improve their quality of life through individual assessments, client advocacy, education and related community services. 

A case manager’s job description can include:

  • Meeting with client
  • Identifying client needs
  • Conducting risk assessments
  • Creating action and treatment plans with set timelines
  • Coordinating support services for the client
  • Monitoring progress and record management

Reasons to choose this job
info
Based on our career survey data, these are the factors that workers said were most important to them when choosing this job.

Enjoyable

Enjoyable

A role in case management has you working with fascinating people from all walks of life. You have the unique opportunity to meet and bond with all kinds of people, as well as the chance to help them work through complex issues and improve their lives.

Read More
Makes a difference

Makes a difference

Supporting vulnerable individuals to identify and solve their problems makes a huge difference to their lives, families, and the wider community. 

Read More

Job satisfaction

Overall job satisfaction
info
This overall score combines the critical factors in job satisfaction. It includes fulfilment, stress levels, and opportunities for advancement, based on our career survey data.

Stress level
info
How stressful workers feel their job is, based on our career survey data.

medium

Fulfilment
info
How personally rewarding workers feel their job is, based on our career survey data.

very-high

Skill level
info
The skill level required to do this job is based on both our career survey data and official data from the Labour Market Information Portal.

medium

Job market trends for a case manager

There is no shortage of case manager job opportunities. Workers in the community services sector are needed now more than ever. This recent Australian Community Sector Survey indicates that over 54% of the employees surveyed noticed an increased demand for their services since the government commenced its economic response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Case management fits under the broader community services sector, which is the largest employing industry in Australia. From a recorded 1.7 million workers employed in 2020, the industry is set to reach 1.9 million by 2024.

$111,696 Per Year

Median salary
info Where this data comes from

Median salary

We use the median salary over the average because it’s more realistic — unusually high or low salaries don’t skew the median. It shows the true middle point, which is what your typical worker in this job earns.

This figure is from the Australian Bureau of Statistics. It’s the official median full-time adult salary for non-managers, before tax. (Includes salary sacrifice.)

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics, ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours (cat. no. 6306.0), Customised Report

Projected job growth

Job growth projections, using data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics. These calculations were made before COVID-19 and may not accurately reflect the labour market. Use these numbers as a general guide only.

Projected job growth
info Where this data comes from

Median salary

We use the median salary over the average because it’s more realistic — unusually high or low salaries don’t skew the median. It shows the true middle point, which is what your typical worker in this job earns.

This figure is from the Australian Bureau of Statistics. It’s the official median full-time adult salary for non-managers, before tax. (Includes salary sacrifice.)

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics, ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours (cat. no. 6306.0), Customised Report

Projected job growth

Job growth projections, using data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics. These calculations were made before COVID-19 and may not accurately reflect the labour market. Use these numbers as a general guide only.

Pathway options
info
Job pathways are drawn from the Australian Apprenticeships Pathways site.

A role as a case manager paves the way to several other work opportunities. Positions within the community services sector are diverse and come in many forms.

Some pathways could be:

Junior

  • Youth case worker

    Most common qualification: Diploma of Youth Work (CHC52015)

  • Residential care worker

    Most common qualification: Certificate III in Individual Support (CHC33015)

     

Mid

  • Outreach worker

    Most common qualification: Certificate IV in Mental Health (CHC43315)

  • Family support worker

    Most common qualification: Certificate IV in Child, Youth and Family Intervention (CHC40313)

Senior

  • Community development manager

    Most common qualification: Advanced Diploma of Community Sector Management (CHC62015)

  • Care manager

    Most common qualification: Advanced Diploma of Community Sector Management (CHC62015)

Skills you might already have
info
Based on our career survey data, the soft skills that workers said were most needed to do their job well.

You may already have several skills integral to success in a case manager position. For example, the soft skills you have picked up along the way in your past employment or life experiences. These skills could be the difference between being a good case manager and being an excellent one.

Empathy

Much like skills needed in social work or family services, case managers need to put kindness and compassion first. Usually, people first need to be understood before they can trust the system as a whole.

Read More

Problem-solving

This is a massive part of a case manager’s job — helping people solve their problems. When approached logically, calm, and step-by-step, the case management process can be more pleasant for everyone involved. You can develop these skills in vocational training.

Read More

Communication

It’s the key to everything. In this role, you need to communicate effectively with every stakeholder. Good communication skills means no crossed wires between you, your client, and other required service providers. This fosters confidence in your client and a smooth process all around.

Read More

Hard skills
info
The job-specific skills that workers said were most important, supplemented with data from JobOutlook and online job advertisements.

You need many unique skills in this line of work.

Many of these case manager skills are learnt on the job, but if you have prior training in community services, this is seen as a bonus to prospective employers on the hunt for  entry-level candidates. 

Some of these practical skills are:

Service program design and delivery

Read More

Counselling techniques

Read More

Legal and ethical compliance

Read More

Workplace health and safety

Read More

Working with people with mental health issues

Read More

Client empowerment

Read More

Healthcare, substance abuse and other addictions

Read More

Supporting people experiencing homelessness

Read More

Network and collaborative partnership development

Read More

Community development strategies

Read More

Criminal justice knowledge

Read More

How to become a case manager

You don’t need a bachelor’s degree to begin work as a case manager, but taking on prior study means you are more likely to get a job and be more confident in the industry when you start.
  1. Study

    To gain the confidence and skills needed to get an entry-level job in case management, take a course like a Certificate III in Community Services (CHC32015) or Diploma of Community Services (CHC52015).

  2. Volunteer in community services

    Get in touch with your local community services organisation and offer some of your time on the weekends or outside your regular work hours. Often, volunteers are needed on helplines, at food banks or community events. The work experience builds your confidence and gives you hands-on practical skills in the industry

Explore related qualifications

Certificate III in Community Services

Study method In-class Online

Skills learned in this course can lead to entry-level community jobs in neighbourhood centres, youth support community health or a range of human services organisations.

 

At this level, work takes place under the direction of other senior staff. 

 

The average course duration is one year part-time, can be studied entirely online and can be self-paced.

 

Government subsidies and Victorian Free TAFE may be available to those eligible. Enquire about a course to check your eligibility.

Read More

16 providers offer this course

Nepean Industry Edge Training
Melbourne College of Further Education
Angel Institute of Education
Australian Healthcare Qualifications and Training
Acacia Education & Training
Training Unlimited
Phillips Institute
Arrow Training
Look Now Training
Industry Skills Training
Melbourne City Institute of Education
The Gordon Institute of TAFE
Kirana Colleges
All Health Training
Hammond Institute
Selmar Institute of Education

Diploma of Community Services

Study method In-class Online

This course provides the skills and knowledge for a career in community services case management. This course teaches you how to approach client needs holistically, plus practical and emotional support skills.

 

Work at this level involves specialisation in skills and is mainly performed autonomously under the guidance of senior staff in an organisation.

 

The average course duration is 18 months, is taught in a mix of delivery methods and can be completed full-time or part-time.

Eligibility for this course is generally literacy and numeracy skills at Year 11, and government subsidies may be available to those eligible. This course also comes under Free TAFE in Victoria. Enquire about a course to check your eligibility.

Read More

12 providers offer this course

Open Colleges
UNE Partnerships
Health Courses Australia
Angel Institute of Education
Hader Institute of Education Pty Ltd
Victorian International Academy
Industry Skills Training
The Gordon Institute of TAFE
Kirana Colleges
TrainSmart Australia
Hammond Institute
Sarina Russo Institute

Related subjects

You may want to explore other options that exercise your natural ability to care for others. In that case, there are plenty of different roles in community services that are singing out for more workers and might be perfect for you.

 

Some other subjects to discover: 

Community Services
Community Services
Mental Health
Mental Health

Reviews
info How we collect reviews

Reviews are from Australian workers with this job title or a very closely related one.

Is this your job title?

Share your thoughts and help people decide if this job is right for them.

Leave a Review

  • All
  • Positive
  • Negative
Vanessa
Sep 02 2021

I love helping people find solutions to the problems making their life difficult, but the job has a much heavier workload than I imagined.

What are the best parts of the job?

I love working as a case manager as there is broad scope to work across many sectors, such as AOD, mental health, education, and family violence. Working with people holistically can be very rewarding — there is a lot of trust needed from clients for them to let someone in during a vulnerable time in their life. The culture at my organisation is great and I feel well supported in my work.

Read More

What's the most challenging part?

The workload is enormous. I particularly underestimated the toll of the administrative workload, which significantly takes away from the time and energy I have to spend actually working with people. There are never enough hours in the day to complete tasks. The work is also very stressful, with stressed and angry clients a normal part of the day to day. It can be very difficult to work with people's motivations to change when they don't want you in their lives (as I work in a statutory system). I find it challenging also to work within a system that doesn't prioritise caring industries, and with systems which are so incompatible with social work values, such as the policing and legal system; there is a high degree of moral and ethical conflict in the work. I also underestimated the emotional toll of the work that comes from hearing people's stories of trauma — I am getting less sleep and feeling burnt out.

Read More
Qualification Masters degree
Experience 0-1
Organisation size 200+ employees
Shella
Aug 31 2021

The role can be confronting at times but I have a really good, supportive team.

What are the best parts of the job?

I work with a supportive and uplifting team. I’m studying social work and it's great to see that social work theory is really incorporated into practice.

Read More

What's the most challenging part?

Listening to stories of trauma can take its toll. And how client trauma presents itself can be challenging at times, for instance violence towards workers.

Read More
Qualification Diploma
Experience 5-10
Organisation size 200+ employees
Specialisation AOD and homelessness
Tarnya
Aug 31 2021

Supporting families in need is really rewarding.

What are the best parts of the job?

I love advocating for families and working to help them achieve positive outcomes.

Read More

What's the most challenging part?

Having to work under Department of Families, Fairness and Housing and not getting answers from them.

Read More
Qualification Diploma
Experience 5-10
Organisation size 200+ employees
Specialisation Advocate
Tayla
Aug 31 2021

Changing the lives of young people and providing them with opportunities, all while building relationships with them.

What are the best parts of the job?

Getting to work alongside highly traumatised young people, and going to great efforts to create change and positive opportunities. Also getting to be privy to stories of hardship and adversity.

Read More

What's the most challenging part?

Supporting high risk adolescents with complex needs is challenging. Always responding to crisis and never feeling proactive, but rather reactive, can be hard as well.

Read More
Qualification Advanced Diploma
Experience 3-5
Organisation size 200+ employees
Specialisation High risk adolescents in OOHC
Shauna
Aug 31 2021

Helping people to solve difficult problems in their lives, when they're willing.

What are the best parts of the job?

Working with people, helping them make decisions and solve problems in their lives.

Read More

What's the most challenging part?

Sometimes people become stagnant and it’s hard to break them out of that. It’s hard to break intergenerational trauma and ingrained views of the world that some people hold.

Read More
Qualification Diploma
Experience 3-5
Organisation size 200+ employees
Stephen
Sep 02 2021

It's a job where I'm helping people make a real difference in their life.

What are the best parts of the job?

Helping people and putting a smile in their faces.

Read More

What's the most challenging part?

Occassionally language barriers make it hard for me to help people effectively.

Read More
Qualification Diploma
Experience 5-10
Organisation size Self-employed
Memphis
Sep 07 2021

The benefits and pay are good, but working with clients and colleagues can occasionally be challenging.

What are the best parts of the job?

The job has great pay and employee benefits.

Read More

What's the most challenging part?

I am challenged by my clients and some other workmates sometimes.

Read More
Qualification Masters degree
Experience 3-5
Organisation size 20-199 employees
Geena
Sep 07 2021

Rewarding to help people reach their goals.

What are the best parts of the job?

Helping people achieve goals and create a positive difference in their own lives.

Read More

What's the most challenging part?

Workers not wanting to help themselves is frustrating.

Read More
Qualification Bachelor’s degree
Experience 3-5
Organisation size 200+ employees
Specialisation Counselling
Joanne
Sep 07 2021

Has lots of challenges, but supporing people is a positive.

What are the best parts of the job?

The people you get to support. I love interacting with them and helping them achieve their goals.

Read More

What's the most challenging part?

In complete transparency, the whole job tends to be challenging.

Read More
Qualification Bachelor’s degree
Experience 10+
Organisation size 5-19 employees
Specialisation Homeless teens
Jim
Sep 12 2021

Need organisation and time management skills to be able to help everyone.

What are the best parts of the job?

Helping others and seeing people's lives improve while supporting them.

Read More

What's the most challenging part?

Managing all my cases. It can be diffuclt juggling everything at once.

Read More
Qualification Bachelor’s degree
Experience 3-5
Organisation size 20-199 employees
Specialisation Finance
Isabella
Sep 12 2021

Rewarding career where I am helping people.

What are the best parts of the job?

Being able to cover and replace items for the community.

Read More

What's the most challenging part?

People not responding to information requests can make the job frustrating.

Read More
Qualification Cert IV
Experience 5-10
Organisation size 200+ employees
Specialisation Insurance
1 2 3 4

Related articles

If you feel like this job might be right for you, check out the catalogue of resources with more information on how to bag your dream job in the community sector.

Community Development: 5 Reasons this Fulfilling Career is Perfect for You
Community Development: 5 Reasons this Fulfilling Career is Perfect for You
Read More
Could a Counselling Course Be Made For You?
Could a Counselling Course Be Made For You?
Read More
7 Rewarding Pathways into a Community Services Career
7 Rewarding Pathways into a Community Services Career
Read More
Who do Social Workers Help: Australian Career Guide
Who do Social Workers Help: Australian Career Guide
Read More
The Federal Budget and the Opportunities for Young Learners in Australia
The Federal Budget and the Opportunities for Young Learners in Australia
Read More
24 Most Fulfilling Jobs That Work With Kids: Which Is Your Calling?
24 Most Fulfilling Jobs That Work With Kids: Which Is Your Calling?
Read More
Career Quiz: What Job Should I Do? (Backed by Real Data)
Career Quiz: What Job Should I Do? (Backed by Real Data)
Read More
Career Quiz Results: The Carer
Career Quiz Results: The Carer
Read More
What Qualification Should You Take On? (New Guide)
What Qualification Should You Take On? (New Guide)
Read More
Career Change Later in Life: 3 Success Stories That Will Inspire You
Career Change Later in Life: 3 Success Stories That Will Inspire You
Read More
The Great Healthcare Resignation: What It Means for Healthcare & Social Assistance Workers
The Great Healthcare Resignation: What It Means for Healthcare & Social Assistance Workers
Read More
Top 5 Medical & Healthcare Industry Trends for 2020
Top 5 Medical & Healthcare Industry Trends for 2020
Read More
Career Quiz - Medical
Career Quiz - Medical
Read More
The Carer Take the Career Quiz

Job cluster: The Carer
info What are job clusters?

The seven job clusters are sets of closely related jobs that share skills, making it easy to apply skills learned in one career to another.

The idea of the seven job clusters first appeared in a 2016 research report by the Foundation for Young Australians, titled “The New Work Mindset”. Researchers analysed thousands of online job advertisements and found that jobs are more similar than commonly thought — and the skills you gain in one position are easy to bring to another. In fact, they can help you get 13 other closely related jobs.

This model is a great way to think about 21st-century careers, where the average person changes career five times. We’ve used this framework (along with the much-loved Holland Codes model) to build a career quiz.

Why not take it and find out which job cluster feels like home?

Jobs in community services put you front and centre with vulnerable people. These roles demand empathy, compassion and drive to see change. A case manager position is best suited to the career personality of The Carer. 

 

The Carer has an innate ability to put themselves in the shoes of others and thrives in a role with direct contact with people. 

Take the Career Quiz to discover what jobs are a great fit for you.

Learn More

Frequently asked questions

What is a case manager?

Case Managers are individuals employed either in an independent or government agency setting, assisting their clients in accessing the resources necessary to achieve their goals.

What does a case manager do?

A certified case manager works one-on-one with clients to establish goals, help solve complex life problems, and facilitate access to the proper resources.

What does a case manager do in mental health?

Case management is an integral type of community aftercare that provides ongoing management of chronic or recurring mental illness.

How much does a case manager earn in Australia?

The average base salary for case managers in Australia is approximately $81K.

 

What makes a good case manager?

Empathy, organisation, communication and a passion for helping others are all essential skills you need to be a good case manager.

  • Popular Subjects
  • Qualification Levels
  • Government Funded Courses
  • Job Outcomes
  • Accounting
  • Aged Care
  • Agriculture
  • Animal Care
  • Beauty
  • Bookkeeping
  • Business Administration
  • Child Care
  • Community Services
  • Counselling
  • Disability
  • Education
  • Eyelash Extension
  • Health
  • IT
  • Mental Health
  • MYOB
  • Small Business
  • Veterinary Nursing
  • Xero Courses
  • View More
  • Certificate
  • Certificate II
  • Certificate III
  • Certificate IV
  • Diploma
  • Bachelor
  • University
  • Online Courses
  • Short Courses
  • View More
  • Adelaide
  • Brisbane
  • Canberra
  • Melbourne
  • Perth
  • Tasmania
  • Victoria
  • Western Australia
  • View More
  • Aged Care Worker
  • Allied Health Assistant
  • Bookkeeper
  • Business Analyst
  • Childcare Worker
  • Counsellor
  • Data Analyst
  • Dental Assistant
  • Disability Support Worker
  • Dog Groomer
  • Massage Therapist
  • Nail Technician
  • Naturopath
  • Pharmacy Assistant
  • Real Estate Agent
  • Social Worker
  • Support Worker
  • Teachers Aide
  • Youth Worker
  • View More
Copyright © 2022 Training.com.au Contact About Privacy Terms