At Sage, we receive a lot of great questions about our accredited training programs. In response, we’ve compiled a list detailing ten of the most common.
In this blog, we’ll explore everything you need to know about our Diploma of Community Services course.
We’ll discuss what you’ll learn in the training program, what you need to do to enrol, and what you can expect to achieve once you complete the course. Plus, we’ll even provide you with information about our enrolment process and detail what you should expect from our self-paced learning style. Let’s get onto your burning questions.
1) What will I learn in a Diploma of Community Services course?
Our Diploma of Community Services training program will teach you everything you need to know to make an authentic difference in people’s lives. If you’re looking to gain specialised, niche skills to prepare for leadership positions in the community services or healthcare sectors, this is the course for you.
You’ll learn how to offer services to a diverse range of people and become confident with case management. You’ll also gain valuable leadership skills that will prepare you for senior roles.
From providing mental health support to facilitating empowerment, our course will teach you everything you need to start the role of your dreams.
Above all, we believe in giving you the expertise, skills, and confidence you need for a long and rewarding career in your chosen sector. Whether you’re interested in aged care, childcare or disability care, our training program has something for you.
2) What experience do I need to have before I enrol?
Many people believe they need to complete a Certificate IV course before they can enrol in a Diploma of Community Services. Fortunately, this isn’t always the case.
Sage requires you to have some level of experience before you enrol. This could be in the form of a relevant course you’ve completed, your work history, or your current job.
It’s important to know that a Diploma course is more advanced than a Certificate program. This means you’ll need a good foundation of knowledge to complete the modules. For this reason, we always recommend that those looking to complete a Diploma course have some background in the community services or healthcare industry.
At Sage, we take a person-centred approach to education and judge each applicant based on their own merits. If you’d like to check whether you have the relevant experience for the program or simply want to talk through your options, get in touch.
3) Will I need to attend an in-person class?
A common misconception is that Diploma courses are like University Degrees. This couldn’t be further from the truth. When you enrol with Sage, you can complete your course entirely from the comfort of your own home. Our program is self-paced, meaning you can work through the course content at a comfortable pace.
Whether you need a little extra time to yourself, have full-time work commitments, or have a family to take care of, Sage’s self-paced courses will let you work your studies around your busy life.
4) Will Sage help me to find a job once I finish my training?
We’re committed to your employment. That’s why we help all of our graduates start rewarding careers once they’ve completed their training. In fact, we help over 80% of our graduates start their careers within three months of their course end date. Here’s how we do it.
During your time on the course, a member of our team will work with you on a one-to-one basis. They’ll evaluate your skillset, discuss your goals, and help you find the best career path for you.
We’ll help you gain the job-ready skills you need to find the career of your dreams. Whether it’s interview tips, CV guidance or career advice, we’ll be on hand to give you the help you need.
Once you finish your training, we’ll get in touch with leading employers who are searching for individuals with your skill set.
Once we’ve found the right employer, we’ll guide you through the interview process and help you start your new role. It’s really that simple.
5) How long will it take for me to complete the course?
This question has no one-size-fits-all answer. In short, Sage’s course is self-paced. That means you can complete your training quickly, or take your time, depending on your preference.
We provide the course content over 30 weeks in a series of online seminars. Many of our enrolees complete the course in this timeframe.
That said, if you’d like extra time to study before completing your assessments, you can revisit the course content as much as you like. The maximum duration of our course is 12 months, meaning you’ll have up to a year to complete everything.
6) What happens if I miss a session?
While we encourage our applicants to attend every session they can, sometimes missing the occasional seminar is unavoidable.
Fortunately, if you can’t make a class, there’s no need to worry.
We record, save, and store our course content for our student’s use. That means you can easily access any important slides, information, and discussion points to catch up on any missed lessons.
7) Will I need to complete a placement?
Yes, all of Sage’s courses include a critical placement module. This lets you put everything you’ve learned into practice, builds your confidence, and gives you the hands-on skills you need to thrive in your chosen career.
All in all, you’ll need to complete 100 hours of vocational placement on your Diploma of Community Services course. Depending on your current role, you may be eligible to complete your placement at work. If not, Sage will help you find one.
8) Does the Diploma build on previous courses?
Yes. Sage’s Diploma course is an advanced course that builds on the knowledge taught in our Certificate III and Certificate IV courses.
If you’re looking to kickstart a new career, we recommend starting with one of our Certificate III courses. These programs will provide you with all the information you need to start your new role. Our current Certificate III programs include:
- Certificate III in Individual Support (Ageing or Disability)
- Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care (Childcare)
Once you’ve completed one of our entry-level courses, you’ll have everything you need to transition into one of our more advanced programs.
9) Can this Diploma help me go to university?
Everyone knows that a Diploma course is a great way to develop your career. Few people realise it’s also a great way to gain the qualifications you need for a university degree.
Completing a Diploma will prove you have the expertise to thrive in an academicenvironment. If you’re looking to progress to university, there’s no better way to do so than with a vocational diploma from Sage.
10) Do I need to complete every module?
Sage’s Diploma of Community Services Certificate consists of sixteen modules. Eight of these are essential. The other eight are elective.
In short, as long as you complete the core eight modules on the course, the rest are entirely optional.
Many of our elective modules offer you the opportunity to learn specialist knowledge about different aspects of community services. For example, you may opt to learn about case management, co-existing needs, or how to care for Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islanders.
Before you enrol, we recommend browsing through the different elective modules available to decide which you’d like to take. Your instructor will ask you if there are any optional units you’d like to complete before you start the course.
11) Does English need to be my first language to enrol?
English doesn’t need to be your first language for you to study with Sage. We welcome applicants from all backgrounds! That said, we are only approved to deliver our courses to Australian citizens. We also require that all of our applicants have basic literacy and numeracy skills.
12) Why should I study with Sage?
At Sage, we’ve been delivering high-quality VET courses for over two decades. In that time, we’ve helped thousands of applicants graduate with the lifelong skills they need to start rewarding careers, discover new opportunities, and grow their confidence.
We’ve streamlined our courses so you can complete each quickly and efficiently. This means you get your certification faster and can start your career sooner.
Why choose us? We’re committed to your employment. Our team will work with you on a one-to-one basis to help you find a role once you finish your training. Plus, we’ll even put you in touch with potential employers.
If you’d like to learn more about our Diploma of Community Services course, click here.
Still not sure which pathway is right for you? Why not get in touch? A member of our team will be on hand to answer any further questions you may have.
