Personal care assistant job description
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 personal care assistants 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.
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 personal care assistants 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.
Physical
Based on our career survey data, these are the words that workers would use to describe their jobs.
Organising
Based on our career survey data, these are the words that workers would use to describe their jobs.
Intellectual
Based on our career survey data, these are the words that workers would use to describe their jobs.
Tasks and responsibilities for a personal care assistant
Personal carer duties and responsibilities can include:
- Providing care, support and friendship to frail or recovering clients
- Noting and reporting changes in the client's health and mental state
- Assisting with personal care, showering and other hygiene tasks
- Helping clients engage in various activities
- Keeping the client's house clean, free from hazards and helping with other home care tasks
- Running errands for clients
- Adhering to client care plans
Reasons to choose this job
Based on our career survey data, these are the factors that workers said were most important to them when choosing this job.
Makes a difference
Often a person with an injury, disability or illness needs a helping hand with everyday tasks, but they may also find this frustrating. Assisting clients while promoting empowerment and independence can dramatically impact their state of mind and improve their quality of life.
Enjoyable
If you love being active, having variety in your job role, and helping other people achieve their goals, a position as a personal care assistant allows you to do this and more.
Flexible hours
With only 33% of the personal care workforce working full-time, it shows there are plenty of opportunities to take on part-time or casual work. It’s the perfect job if you’re looking for great work-life balance.
Job satisfaction
Overall job satisfaction
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
How stressful workers feel their job is, based on our career survey data.
Fulfilment
How personally rewarding workers feel their job is, based on our career survey data.
Skill level
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.
Job market trends for a personal care assistant
Personal care assistant jobs are a safe bet right now, and the projected industry growth remains strong.
Under the broader health care and social assistance, direct client care and support are among the many important sectors that care for our community. As the largest employing industry in the country, there are over 1.7 million people employed in healthcare and social services, which reports indicate will increase substantially by 2025.
Median salary
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.
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
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.
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
Job pathways are drawn from the Australian Apprenticeships Pathways site.
You might find a role as a personal care assistant is perfect for your lifestyle and make this your life-long career. But, personal care assistant jobs can also be a great starting point to progress further into other healthcare or more senior roles.
Possible career paths could be:
Junior
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Personal care assistant
Most common qualification: Certificate III in Individual Support (CHC33015)
-
Personal carer
Most common qualification: Certificate III in Individual Support (CHC33015)
-
Home care assistant
Most common qualification: Certificate III in Individual Support (CHC33015)
-
Residential care worker
Most common qualification: Certificate III in Individual Support (Ageing) (CHC33015)
-
Aboriginal health worker (aged and disability care)
Most common qualification: Certificate III in Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Primary Health Care (HLT30113)
Mid
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Disability services manager
Most common qualification: Advanced Diploma of Community Sector Management (CHC62015)
-
Lifestyle coordinator
Most common qualification: Certificate IV in Disability (CHC43115)
Senior
-
Senior aboriginal community care worker
Most common qualification: Certificate IV in Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Primary Health Care (HLT40113)
-
Care manager
Most common qualification: Advanced Diploma of Community Sector Management (CHC62015)
Skills you might already have
Based on our career survey data, the soft skills that workers said were most needed to do their job well.
The soft skills you possess are as critical as the practical skills you need in a job as a personal care assistant. These soft skills might be innate, or you may have developed them in your life experiences. Experience helping a family member, caring for a sick friend, babysitting, or even looking after a pet can help develop essential skills for a caregiving role.
Required personal care assistant skills:
Empathetic
The ability to put yourself in the shoes of the person you are assisting is crucial to a personal care assistant role. Being empathetic to your client ensures they feel cared for and safe.
Observant
There may be times where you need to pick up on subtle changes in mood or physical ability and preempt issues that may come up.
Communication skills
To be a personal care assistant, you need to communicate well with your client, team members and other service providers. Good communication ensures your client feels in control and safe, and means that any work involving others is cohesive and runs smoothly.
Active listening
Active listening means using all of your senses to read situations and pick up more information than what is said. Many clients may struggle with verbal communication, so asking the right questions and picking up on non-verbal cues is essential.
Passion for helping others
A natural desire for helping others is a motivational driver. A willingness to care and support others allows you to foster and maintain a love for your role in personal care.
Hard skills
The job-specific skills that workers said were most important, supplemented with data from JobOutlook and online job advertisements.
To be a personal care assistant, you need core skills and knowledge to provide the best service to those you are working with.
Some required personal care assistant skills are:
Organisation and time-management
First aid and emergency procedure capability
Healthcare and healthy body system knowledge
Monitoring, reporting and work-related administration
Safe work practices for direct client care
Legal and ethical work policies
Infection prevention and control policies and procedures
Empowerment facilitation
Support in community participation and social inclusion
Support work is the best job in the world. You go to work to hang out with people, and you get to show them life — how cool is that?!
Laura Green
Executive Director, Victoria, ONCALL Group
How to become a personal care assistant
-
Study
Although not strictly required, studying a course through a Registered Training Organisation is the best way to prepare for a personal care assistant role. Achieving a qualification in individual support gives you the core skills and knowledge you need to work confidently in the role. You can complete a Certificate III in Individual Support (Disability) (CHC33015) in as little as nine months. With practical placements part of the course, you also gain valuable job experience.
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Traineeship
Completing a traineeship or apprenticeship in the personal care field is an excellent option if you prefer to work and study simultaneously. In a support care traineeship, you get paid to undertake on-the-job training while also completing a nationally recognised qualification. Organisations hire trainees the same way as regular employees and register the positions on apprenticeship provider websites and even job boards. To find the right traineeship for you, you can contact your nearest Australian Apprenticeship Support Network provider, who can help you find an employer and registered training organisation to complete the relevant qualification. All the information you need to get started is here at australianapprenticeships.gov.au.
-
Volunteer
Contact any local care service provider or residential aged care facilities and enquire about volunteering. In a volunteer position, you can gain access to knowledge from registered nurses and other healthcare providers, giving you an idea of what’s involved in a personal care assistant role.
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Police check and Working with Children Check
When you work in the support or healthcare sectors, you typically need to complete a National Police Check and a Working with Children’s Check.
Explore related qualifications
Completing an accredited course in individual support is the best way to get personal care assistant qualifications.
Certificate III in Individual Support
This course is a nationally recognised training qualification for a personal support worker in either a clients’ home or a care facility. The course provides you with the fundamental skills and knowledge to work in disability support services and work one-on-one with clients to promote independence and overall well-being.
The average duration of this course is 35 weeks full time or part-time equivalent. Learners can self-pace their studies with some providers, and a variety of blended learning options are available. To complete this qualification, a minimum of 120 hours of work placement is required.
Fee concessions and scholarships may be available depending on the course provider and learner eligibility.
11 providers offer this course
Related subjects
Other careers supporting vulnerable people are in abundance. Healthcare and community services are always looking for more enthusiastic newcomers.
Reviews
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.
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.
- All
- Positive
- Negative
Kylie
Sep 11 2021Get to make a positive difference in other people's lives, make connections and help them as they lose independence.
What are the best parts of the job?
For me, the best part is making a difference in a person's day. For some of the people we care for, we are the only ones they see during the day, and the help we provide enables them to stay in their own home. I also get a lot of satisfaction out of winning over clients who are new to care and very resistant to it. They are often losing their independence and have some emotions attached to that. I love getting to know the clients, having a chat and hearing their stories.
What's the most challenging part?
The first thing would definitely be lack of hours and low pay. It is very hard to get 25 hours per week, let alone 38. I also feel that while low skilled, this is a job that is important and something not many people want to do. So, better pay would show that appreciation. Behavioural problems can be challenging, not only from the clients but their family members. This job takes quite a bit of assertiveness to ensure you are protecting yourself from injury, it is very easy to do too much because you care.
Jamie
Aug 31 2021Helping people is an enjoyable career.
What are the best parts of the job?
Helping people in need is the best part of the job, since many of the patients I am looking after cannot help themselves and complete certain tasks.
What's the most challenging part?
One of the most challenging aspects of my career is feeding the patients I am looking after who do not have the mobile ability to feed themselves.
Alice
Aug 31 2021Helping others is rewarding but you need to have time management skills.
What are the best parts of the job?
Helping others is definitely the best part of the job. I go to work every morning knowing I am making a positive difference in the world and someone else's life.
What's the most challenging part?
Time management is a crucial part of the job and can be a challenge, so it's essential to always keep on schedule.
Related articles
Does a career in personal care assistance sound perfect for you? Information on the healthcare and services sector is accessible through a comprehensive catalogue of helpful resources.
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Job cluster: The Carer
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?
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?
A role in personal care assistance, helping sick, injured or disabled people, is best suited to the career personality of The Carer.
People who identify as The Carer thrive in a hands-on role in direct contact with people in the community. They employ an empathetic and compassionate approach to their work and genuinely love to see people reach their goals.
Take the Career Quiz to discover what jobs are a great fit for you.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a personal care assistant earn?
In Australia, the median salary for a job as a personal care assistant is $66K per year.
What makes a good personal care assistant?
Skills in communication, time management, empathy and compassion, and the proper training make a great personal care assistant.
Is being a PCA worth it?
Being a personal care assistant is an extremely rewarding and fulfilling career. Working as a personal care assistant means you are making a difference and positively impacting people’s lives through assisting them with daily tasks.
Is a PCA higher than a CNA?
Although a personal care assistant (PCA) and certified nursing assistant (CNA) entail similar tasks, they are not the same career. CNA’s have the potential to earn a higher salary than PCA’s, but both jobs have the same goal, to provide their clients with care and comfort.
How long does it take to become a PCA?
Although a formal qualification is not technically required to become a PCA, spending a bit of time studying will really boost your job prospects. A Certificate III in Individual Support takes a minimum of six months to complete when studying full-time.