Personal Care Worker
Provide daily care and support to your clients, and help them maintain their health and independence.
Be an important support in someone’s life
Personal Care Workers play an important role in the daily lives of many Australians. Working in this field, you’ll develop close relationships with your clients, helping them through their daily routine and acting as a valuable source of support and socialisation. Whether you choose to work in an aged care environment, or undertake home visits, you’ll enjoy a rewarding career helping vulnerable people to maintain their health.
Key stats
Personal Care Workers provide an important role in supporting the needs of elderly and vulnerable people, and are always in high demand. Here are some key facts and figures about this career path:
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$1,200
Average weekly salary
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43 hrs
Average hours worked per week
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45 yrs
Average age of people in this career
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Multi-region
Jobs available in metro and rural areas
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~28,900
People employed in this industry
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31%
Of employees are full time
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Low
Unemployment for this industry
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Low
Skill level required for this career
Source: JobOutlook.gov.au; SEEK.com.au
Core skills of a Personal Care Worker
Working as a Personal Care Worker, you’ll have specialised skills in assessing and supporting your clients’ needs. Some of the core skills of Personal Care Workers include:
Providing personal care
Assisting clients with basic personal care needs, such as showering and hygiene, preparing meals, and mobility.Accompanying clients to appointments and errands
Providing transport and support at medical appointments, and assisting clients with errands such as grocery shopping.Working with medical professionals
Liaising with your clients’ doctors and medical therapists to understand and support their healthcare needs.Implementing therapy plans
Providing interventions and treatments for medical conditions on the advice of the patient’s medical team.Start here
Traineeship/On-campus
You may choose to complete further study with the Diploma of Nursing to become a qualified Enrolled Nurse (Division 2).
Fore more information about studying to become a Personal Care Worker, get in touch with one of our Course Coordinators. They'll help you understand your study options and match the right course with your goals.
Why choose GOTAFE?
Australia’s 5th largest industry
Approximately 8% of Australia’s workforce are employed in healthcare, and the industry will need over 77,000 new workers in the next five years.
Industry-qualified trainers
Our trainers have extensive experience in community services and understand the skills you’ll need in the workplace.
Hands-on experience
Our courses give you the opportunity to apply theory to practice and develop your skills working on real community projects.
Explore more career opportunities
Not sure this is the right career path for you? Explore our other careers and find the right fit for you.
Helpful advice for planning your career
Still not sure what career path you’d like to follow? Our Skills and Jobs Centre is a one-stop-shop for anyone looking for career planning advice. The Centre is government-funded and you don’t have to be a GOTAFE student to get help from our advisors.