AGED CARE COURSE CANBERRA

Skills Training College’s aged care program takes at least three weeks to complete. The exact time to complete the course depends on a student’s own skill level and commitment to completing their at home theoretical study and work placements.

The classroom based training consists of a minimum of 15 sessions. Training is full time, starting at 9am and running until 5pm each day, for three weeks. The self-paced theory learning takes approximately 30-60 hours. Students must also complete a minimum of 120 hours of work placement in their own time.

To work in aged care in Australia, a Certificate III in Individual Support is absolutely necessary. Students must complete the course through the aged care elective stream before they can work effectively in the aged care industry.

While one can provide personal care to a family member or loved one in need without an aged care certification, it is not recommended. Without completing a course, care givers will not be able to fully understand what is required of a them, what the safe work practices for aged care are, nor their legal responsibilities as a care giver.

No. While a portion of this course must be completed online in students’ own time, working in aged care requires skills sets which can only be achieved through practical training. As such there is no online training or distance learning available.

Necessary skills include practical training in how to recognise healthy body systems, infection prevention and control policies, and the ability to assist clients with taking their medication, among others.

Emotionally, aged care work can be challenging. However, for a compassionate and motivated person whose heart is in the right place, the career outcomes can be just as rewarding.

Aged care workers face difficult situations no matter their specialty as they provide direct client care to people facing some of life’s most confronting challenges. Palliative care workers are constantly exposed to death as they make people comfortable at the end of their lives, and provide grief and loss support to both patients and their loved ones. Dementia care services are challenging as require workers to support people with reduced mental capabilities. Any aged care worker may also have to identify and report abuse where they see aged care services not properly enacted.

How easy it is to find work, work placement, or volunteer opportunities depends on where you want to go in your aged care career. Searching online is an easy way to find aged care residences, hospices, retirement villages, and other aged care facilities. Locations such as these often have volunteers in high demand, providing an easy first step into aged care work.

The facility in which you perform your practical placement may allow you to stay on as a volunteer. They may even be one of your potential future employers. If you’re struggling to find aged care work, or a location to perform your work placement’s hours, your trainer may be able to point you in the right direction.

Yes. Workplace training is an essential part of a Certificate III in Individual Support. A simulated workplace environment is not a substitute for the real workplaces when it comes to ensuring you’ve embodied the care outcomes of an aged care course.

If you’d like to do more than just provide ageing support to people in need, you can expand your specialty by undertaking further study to advance your career. Healthcare requires a diverse range of skill sets, and the best opportunities for further studies include some of the following:

• Disability care. Disability support is an alternative elective stream to aged care for a Certificate III in Individual Support.

• Manual handling. Healthcare offered requires moving patients safely, a skills taught in a manual handling course.

• First aid. First aid provides a wide range of skills, such as CPR, all of which are essential to working in health or community services.

• A blue card. A working with children check is essential to expanding your healthcare career to work with children. Please note this course is not offered through Skills Training College.

• A Certificate IV. The logical next step after a Certificate III level, there are many Certificate IV opportunities each instructing students with different health skills. Currently, Skills Training College does not offer any Certificate IV courses in healthcare.

An aged care course can be considered tax deductible if you already work with elderly people in a position where self-education can be considered either upskilling or maintaining your position. In these instances, your course expenses are tax deductible. Check with an accountant or tax specialist for more information.