Here is Everything You Need to Know Before Starting An Aged or Disability Care Course With Sage Education Brisbane, QLD
With changing trends in the Australian economy, one industry has been virtually unaffected and has been consistent in terms of employment growth over the past decade. And that is the aged and disability care industry in Brisbane.
The advent of the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) has boosted employment demand in the care industry to new heights. With a range of additional support services available for clients under different NDIS providers, there has never been a good time to secure your employment in the care sector.
While life expectancy in Australia is one of the best globally, the Australian population is growing old at a rapid pace.
According to the government data, 1 in 7 Australians are aged 65 and over. Hence, the aged care, residential care, and respite care centres are growing exponentially. As a result, there is a significant demand for care workers across the industry.
Overall, with a growing number of people currently applying to work as care workers, many people are still confused as to the actual requirement to land your first job as a care worker.
So, we decided to uncover this mystery once and for all. Follow along to get answers to the top 8 questions we hear all the time.
What is the difference between aged care and disability care courses?
It is the question that people ask all the time. But, unfortunately, it isn’t clear when you read these courses advertised separately.
For starters, the course is formally called CHC33015 Certificate III in Individual Support. You can specialise in either aged or disability care.
Both these specialties have the same core units; however, your choice of elective units will determine which industry is more likely to hire you.
What are the core and elective units?
Total of 13 units to be completed.
Core units (same for both qualifications):
- CHCCCS015 Provide individualised support
- CHCCCS023 Support independence and well being
- CHCCOM005 Communicate and work in health or community services
- CHCDIV001 Work with diverse people
- CHCLEG001 Work legally and ethically
- HLTAAP001 Recognise healthy body systems
- HLTWHS002 Follow safe work practices for direct client care
Elective Units for Ageing Speciality:
- CHCAGE001 Facilitate the empowerment of older people
- CHCAGE005 Provide support to people living with dementia
- CHCCCS011 Meet personal support needs
Elective Units for Disability Speciality:
- CHCDIS001 Contribute to ongoing skills development using a strengths-based approach
- CHCDIS002 Follow established person-centred behaviour supports
- CHCDIS003 Support community participation and social inclusion
- CHCDIS007 Facilitate the empowerment of people with disability
Common Elective Units (3 for ageing or 2 for disability)
- CHCAGE002 Implement falls prevention strategies
- CHCCCS017 Provide loss and grief support
- CHCPAL001 Deliver care services using a palliative approach
- CHCPRP001 Develop and maintain networks and collaborative partnerships
- CHCPRP003 Reflect on and improve own professional practice
What is the total duration of an aged or disability care course?
The course duration will depend on how a training organisation is delivering the course and the amount of training determined to be appropriate. The average duration of this course is 26 weeks.
At Sage Education, we deliver this course in over 18 weeks including 120 hours of vocational placement.
What is the cost to complete the aged or disability care course?
The cost of this course will depend on whether you qualify to receive a government subsidy or not. We are a Skills Assure Supplier, and we receive a government subsidy for training eligible applicants in Queensland.
If you qualify, the cost of training for you may be as low as $195 for the entire course. The Queensland government contributes upto $3700 in subsidy so you can save money.
How do I qualify to receive the government subsidy?
Queensland Government offers subsidy to eligible applicants under the Certificate 3 Guarantee Program.
To meet the eligibility criteria, you must:
- be living in Queensland
- be aged 15 years or over
- be Australia or New Zealand citizen or Australian Permanent Resident or Humanitarian visa holder or on a pathway to permanent residency*
- have left school
Can I do the aged or disability care course online?
No, the course is not suitable for delivery entirely online. It requires practical skills training such as manual handling and infection control, which is inappropriate for online delivery.
The blended delivery model includes a combination of face to face and online training. Before you commence your vocational placement, you must attend the face to face component of the course, which may be several practical skills sessions.
What kind of job can I get after completing an aged or disability care course?
Upon completion of this course, you may find employment in a range of aged or disability care centers as:
- Aged or disability support worker
- Respite care worker
- Residential care worker
- Personal care worker
How much can I get paid as a care worker?
According to the government data (job outlook), the median pay for full-time non-managerial employees is $1,265 with solid future growth.
There are approximately 177,200 workers currently employed in the industry, with 80% of them being females and 33% being full-time employees. The number of jobs can grow up to 222,300 by 2024.
So, what should you choose?
Well, both these courses are highly similar and likely to land you a job very quickly. Historically, the overwhelming majority of our graduates have successfully secured employment as soon as they complete their course.
Upon completing the aged care specialty, you are likely to find employment in the aged care centres such as Ozcare, Bluecare, Anglicare, Bolton Clarke, Tri care, etc.
Upon completing the disability care specialty, you are likely to find employment in the disability support providers, also known as NDIS providers, such as CPL, Uniting care, Centa care, Kin care, etc.
No worries. Just complete the inquiry form and let us send you the free course guide with more information.
