Personal Support Worker

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:

$1,200
Average weekly salary
43 hrs
Average hours worked per week
45 yrs
Average age of people in this career
Multi-region
Jobs available in metro and rural areas
~28,900
People employed in this industry
31%
Of employees are full time
Low
Unemployment for this industry
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.

Study pathways

GOTAFE offers one or more courses to prepare you for a career in this industry. Follow the prompts below to find the right path for you.

Start here

Certificate III in Individual Support

Traineeship/On-campus

Employment as a Personal Care Worker

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.

Learn more about the Health & Community study area

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.

View all careers

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.

Learn more about the Skills and Jobs Centre

Need advice about planning your career? We’re here to help.

Youth Engagement Team

Let us help you plan the right study pathway for your career goals.

Talk to our team today

Student Services

We’re here to support you through all of life’s ups and downs.

Find out how we can help

Student Life Hub

Get the tips and tricks to help you make the most of your time at GOTAFE.

Learn about life at GOTAFE

Personal Care Worker