Choosing to do a job in the child care sector in Australia is a brilliant decision to make. The sector is growing faster and is expected to offer more opportunities in the future, but that is not the only reason. However, like many others, you may feel confused about where to start from. Most professionals enrol in Certificate III in Aged Care in any Adelaide college and acquire the necessary skills and knowledge required to provide support to older and specially-abled people. This blog discusses the job options available for you once you receive your Certificate 3 qualification.
What can you learn in Certificate III in individual Support?
Certificate III in Individual Support is an Australian VET course that provides basic training and education to students who wish to become support workers in the future. The course combines theoretical and practical hands-on training approaches to equip the students with skill and expertise. The term ‘individual support’ includes three areas – ageing, disability, and home and community. Thus, the course covers all the learning areas related to these three. The three fields are discussed here.
Ageing
1. As the term indicates, here, you will be able to learn how to provide the necessary support to your older clients. Make sure your activities help them lead a more meaningful life.
2. As you work with elderly people, compassionate nature and technical skills will be the prerequisites to becoming a professional. In the Certificate III course, top industry experts will teach you these technical skills, and thus, it will be mandatory to get formal training.
3. Therefore, if you love the company of older people, this area should be your choice.
Home and Community
1. To provide home and community support, you have to go to the private residences of older people. Usually, people who do not feel comfortable working in a facility centre choose this area for work.
2. The responsibilities of a home and community worker will include assisting the clients in their household tasks.
Disability
1. Another area that you can study in the Certificate III course is how to work with a specially-abled person.
2. You always have to remember that a person with significant disabilities may feel pretty mentally depressed with their circumstances. Thus the role of a disability support worker will require more attention and compassion, which cannot be understood without formal training. In the Certificate III course, you will receive your training from top individuals.
3. The responsibilities of a disability support worker will involve dealing with independence, personal choices, decision making, and community participation.
In addition to theoretical classes, students also need to go through a 120-hour placement training to become aware of various workplace challenges they have to tackle.
What Jobs Can you Find after Receiving your Qualification?
Completing a Certificate III in Individual Support will help you find the following job roles.
Aged Care Support Worker
These professionals provide clinical care, general residential assistance, and emotional support to aged people. Doing a Certificate 3 in Aged Care from a TAFE institute in Adelaide will open your path to becoming an aged care support worker.
Building a career in the aged care sector can be highly rewarding. At the same time, you have to consider several factors to manage various challenges in your profession.
Students can learn a variety of things like interpersonal skills and clinical capabilities from this course and develop the expertise to work in this sector. This qualification can be used to find entry-level positions in various workplace settings, which include:
1. Hospitals
2. Retirement homes
3. Community organisations
4. Private residencies
As per survey reports, the ageing population in Australia has been increasing. It means your aged care certificate will provide you with plenty of opportunities after completing the course. According to the Government of Australia report, the number of employees employed in the aged care sector in 2018 was more than 175000. This number is estimated to reach over 200000 by 2023, demonstrating a sharp increase in job opportunities.
If you want to become an aged care support worker, you can attend the ageing specialisation units offered under Certificate III in Individual Support.
Disability Support Worker
As a disability support worker, you will be required to provide care and supervision to people with cognitive disabilities to improve their physical and mental wellbeing. Since the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) was introduced, thousands of new jobs have been created in disability support. It also indicates a sharp rise in job opportunities in the future.
Disability support workers can also find jobs in various workplace settings, like:
1. Group homes
2. Hospitals
3. Clinics
4. Private residences
Remember that you will be providing support to someone who may have lost all hope in their lives, and thus, you will bear a huge responsibility to bring back that hope. Patience and compassion are two of the most vital qualities every disability support worker must-have.
Doing a Certificate III in Individual Support will enhance your chances to enter this sector. You will secure an entry-level job position and be able to expand the set of skills needed to grow your career.
Nursing Assistants
Nursing assistants have a key role in various clinical care settings, and health teams heavily depend on them to provide care for patients. In addition, they also offer adequate administrative support. You will need to be physically fit for the role as you may be required to lift or move patients.
Depending on the field of healthcare you will be working in, your duties may vary. However, responsibilities will typically include:
1. Administering medications
2. Bathing, feeding, and dressing patients
3. Monitoring vital signs shown by patients
4. Fixing appointments with speech therapists or physiotherapists
You will require specialised clinical knowledge to become a nursing assistant, and thus formal training is necessary.
Final Words
Several TAFE institutes in Adelaide offer aged care courses in adelaide. For information, you can check their websites. It will be better to consider factors like fees, course content, etc. and then choose the suitable course for you.
