Supporting worker shortages: Opportunities to get relevant courses and job placement

Are you a helpful person who would like to make a lot of money by helping others? If the answer is yes, then the job of a support worker would be a good choice. Anyone can become a support worker. Many organizations in Australia offer professional training and job placement programs. This article will introduce the work of a support worker in detail and provide corresponding training channels to help you prepare for this position.

What is Support Workers?

Support workers play a crucial role in assisting individuals with disabilities, mental health issues, and the elderly in their daily activities. Their responsibilities include providing personal care, helping with household tasks, and facilitating community engagement. In Australia, the average salary for a support worker is approximately $70,000 per year, with starting salaries around $60,000 and potential earnings reaching up to $80,000 as experience increases.

The sector faces market gaps due to a growing demand for services amid an aging population and the rollout of the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS). Employment prospects are strong, with an expected annual growth of 7,000 jobs, indicating a robust job market for aspiring support workers in the coming years.

Why become a support worker?

There are many benefits to pursuing a career as a support worker. There is a high demand for support workers in Australia, with job security and ample employment opportunities. The role is rewarding and fulfilling, making a meaningful difference to people's lives. There are also career progression opportunities, access to further training and specialisation.

In Australia, a number of institutions and organisations offer specialist support worker courses, which are often linked to job placement opportunities. Here are some notable options:

Geneva Healthcare

With NZQA-accredited online training and job placement support, you can quickly and easily become a qualified Healthcare Support Worker and find a number of rewarding employment opportunities in local health organisations. Whatever your background, this training provides you with the opportunity to learn new skills while helping you access other excellent career opportunities and financial gains in the fast-growing and stable healthcare sector.

Geneva Healthcare is a proud partner of MySkill, a trusted education expert in the family and community sector. As the only national training provider led by and focused on the aged care, disability, family and community health sector, MySkill understands the challenges and opportunities of working in this sector and the skills required to adapt and respond quickly in a changing environment to ensure high-quality service delivery.

MySkill has been awarded NZQA (New Zealand Qualifications Authority) Category 2 accreditation, demonstrating its ability to provide high-quality education in the health and disability sector. You can access specialist support worker courses directly on the MySkill website, and learn more about support worker jobs and career opportunities on the Geneva Healthcarewebsite.

Real case

A real-life example of how Geneva Healthcare's support worker program transformed a life is the story of Maria, a single mother living in Auckland. Struggling with financial instability and limited career prospects, Maria decided to enroll in Geneva Healthcare’s support worker training program. The program provided her with essential skills in elderly care, communication, and trauma-informed practices.

Upon completing the course, Maria secured a full-time position as a support worker. The job not only offered her a competitive salary but also flexible hours, enabling her to spend quality time with her children. For the first time, Maria felt financially secure and proud of her work, as she was making a tangible difference in the lives of vulnerable individuals.

Over time, Maria’s dedication and performance led to a promotion to a senior support worker role. This career growth not only boosted her income but also gave her the confidence to pursue further qualifications in healthcare.

Equip

The course is designed to provide introductory and further learning modules for those interested in aged care. It covers key concepts in modern aged care and encourages participants to continue learning through additional resources.

The course consists of 14 modules covering topics such as the roles of caregivers, nurses and other allied health professionals in aged care; person-centered care concepts; palliative care and end-of-life care; trauma-informed care and support for people with dementia. Other modules include fall prevention, wound management, pressure injury prevention, hearing health, cross-cultural awareness and oral health promotion. Each module takes about 10 minutes to complete, and participants can choose the order of study at any time according to their own progress and interests.

There are no exams or homework on the course, but participants are required to complete some short quizzes to assess learning. After each module, participants will receive a downloadable certificate of completion.

Participants who are interested in participating in the course can visit the Equipwebsite. In addition, there are many institutions and organizations that offer professional support worker courses, and you can use the search engine to find relevant courses near you.

Conciusion

According to reports, by 2031, nearly 20% of Australians are expected to be aged 65 or over, 4% higher than today. As a result, the demand for care is only going to grow. Currently, there are approximately 370,000 aged care workers in Australia. Despite this, a recent report by the Committee for Economic Development of Australia (CEDA) found that Australia will face a shortage of at least 110,000 direct aged care workers over the next decade. Now is the perfect time to take a care worker course and become a care worker!