Interested in a community services career? For many people, making a real difference in someone’s daily life can be an important factor when deciding what career pathway to choose. While it can feel like there aren’t many jobs that can offer a truly rewarding experience, a Certificate III in individual support can improve your employment prospects in a fulfilling and growing industry.
With more and more older Australians accessing care services from home, our ageing population means there is a growing need for aged care support and other vital support services. According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), Almost 9 out of 10 people living in a residential aged care had a physical disability.
Australia’s industry structure has also changed in recent decades, moving from an economy dependent on agricultural produce to today’s economy where service-based industries are important for employment.
This is where the right qualification can help meet those needs and make a positive impact to people’s lives. It provides the perfect amount of training, knowledge, and practical experience to deliver solid career prospects.
If you’re thinking of undertaking this Certificate, here are the top 4 benefits of undertaking a unique and desirable course.
1. High demand for employment
One quarter of new jobs created annually are in the community services sector, which includes allied health, disability, and aged care.
This qualification offers great employment opportunities in the community services sector as the industry continues to keep pace with growing demand. Even after the most recent growth, this demand is projected to have one of the strongest employment growths of any industry over the coming years. With a thriving sector comes the need for an increased supply of skilled individual support workers, and by undertaking some study one of them could be you!
If you hold a Certificate III in Individual Support, there are a variety of job outcomes such as:
- Aged Care Worker
- Respite Care Worker
- Personal Care Worker
- Disability Services Worker
- Direct Care Worker
- Support Worker
- Home Help Worker
There are a range of jobs for all ages and schedules, whether you’re returning to employment, looking for part-time work or just starting your career – the demand is endless.
2. Make a positive impact to people’s lives
Completing this qualification gives you the opportunity to start or progress a rewarding career in the community services sector. With formal qualifications under your belt, you’ll have the knowledge and skills to make a lasting impact on the welfare of people in need through high quality services and supports.
You’ll also be a part of helping build stronger, more inclusive communities that can support any individual’s needs. This could involve many communities such as aged care, disability services, indigenous, youth justice and many more. While the level of assistance you can provide varies depending on the individual you’re working with, your support makes a difference to them and their families.
Working with someone to develop or maintain certain skills can be rewarding, as you often don’t see these in other jobs. With a Certificate III in Individual Support, you can help a wide range of people by:
- Facilitating outings and other activities;
- developing and implementing programs to increase their independence;
- performing household tasks such as cooking, shopping, cleaning, and menu planning;
- helping people maintain contact with their family, friends and advocates;
- helping people develop and maintain safety in personal care, health care and hygiene
There are many other areas of life that this certificate covers and through these activities and many more you’ll be able to make a positive impact in someone’s everyday life.
3. Provides a strong foundation of skills that can be transferrable
An individual support course can provide you with essential skills that are required in today’s jobs. With over 12 unique units, you can gain practical skills and knowledge needed to provide quality individual support in a range of community settings. These settings range from Aged Care to Home care, Community Care, Disability Support and more. Most community organisations operate in one or more of these vital care areas, so by completing this qualification you’ll learn transferable skills that you can use in a variety of different settings.
This course covers foundational skills such as communication, providing person-centred behaviour supports, working with diverse people and facilitating community participation and inclusion. These skills are important as they are easily transferrable across the health care and community services industries, providing you more employment opportunities. You will also meet a wide range of healthcare workers, governmental and welfare agencies who support people in different stages of their lives, building your professional network.
A bonus on top of completing this course, is that it can set you up for future learning opportunities or specialisations. You can pursue further study into a Certificate IV in Disability Support, specialising in providing person-centred services to people with disability with complex needs.
4. Options for Government subsidised training
You may also be eligible for Government subsidised courses which is available in certain states in Australia. In New South Wales you may be eligible for Smart & Skilled funding which allows you to enrol in a government-subsidised course with an approved provider. In Queensland you may be eligible for the Certificate 3 Guarantee which also supports individuals to complete their first post-school Certificate III qualification.
The subsidy levels vary depending on a number of factors, and you can check your eligibility for NSW residents here, and for QLD residents here.
How do I get started?
The great news is that anyone can start working in the community services sector, even if you don’t have any previous experience. However, the Certificate III in Individual Support can give you a broader understanding of the sector, and these qualifications can give you a better chance at securing team leader or management roles.
With the course being flexible between online study and face-to-face sessions, you can complete the training at your own pace. So what are you waiting for? Start making a real difference in the lives of people in need and start your journey with breakthru’s training team today.
With more than 10 years of industry experience coupled with a Bachelor of Business (Marketing) and Bachelor of Commerce (Accounting), Josh works as Marketing Manager, Disability Services from our office in Brisbane, Queensland.
Having grown up with his younger sister Katey, who was born with Down Syndrome, Josh has witnessed first hand the barriers and misconceptions placed around people with disability. As part of the Breakthru team, Josh hopes to assist people just like Katey find the information or supports they need to live their best life.