How to Get a Career in Disability Care
The care economy is booming. According to the Australian government, there will be an extra 45,100 jobs created in aged and disability care in the period 2019-2024. That’s extraordinary growth at a time when so many sectors of the economy – especially hospitality, tourism and retail – have been hit hard by COVID-19.
Not only are jobs in disability care a good option right now – they have a secure future. These are jobs that simply won’t be replaced by artificial intelligence. When leading consultancy firm McKinsey & Company surveyed the global prospects for jobs amid the threat of automation, they found that the jobs of the future would overwhelmingly be in personal care services. The takeaway message is that machines can’t do compassion.
This also happens to be a great time to undertake qualifications to be a disability support worker. With the JobTrainer program in place across most states and territories, disability certificate courses are suddenly a lot more affordable. In fact, depending on where you’re located, some disability courses – such as a Certificate IV in Disability – are entirely fee-free.
Of course, you don’t need to start out with a formal qualification to get a job in disability care. There are plenty of entry-level positions in organisations that provide support to people with disability. Let’s take a closer look at the job and the skills you’ll need.
What skills do I need?
Research organisation ACER recently examined the boom in disability care jobs and identified the skills that make a highly effective disability support worker. This skillset includes:
• Interpersonal skills to build rapport and recognise and respond to diverse perspectives
• Problem-solving skills
• The ability to think on your feet
• The ability to collaborate with other employees.
The Queensland Department of Employment has been urging people to switch to disability support careers and prepared a fact sheet on what to expect. According to the department, being ‘flexible, adaptable and positive’ are the key factors in enjoying a successful career in disability support. Importantly, it’s also a career where you can make a real difference in other people’s lives.
What sort of work would I do?
Put simply, the work of disability carers is as varied as their clients. According to the latest data, one in six Australians has a disability – that’s more than 4 million of our fellow citizens.
Not everyone with a disability needs assistance with daily tasks – but the data tells us that three in five people do. Almost all people with disability (96%) live in private dwellings, meaning that the support they need is delivered in everyday settings: in family homes and out in community settings.
The tasks are undertaken by disability support workers, and the environments in which they work have been transformed by the arrival of the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS).
The NDIS has transferred far greater control to people with disability, empowering them to describe their own support needs and seek out their own service providers. The funding of disability care is now much more dispersed, opening up opportunities for new providers of support services. Around 340,000 people with disability are active NDIS participants, with approved plans tied to specific funding.
What does this mean for careers in disability care? With increased scope for autonomy, people with disability can seek help from an NDIS support worker that meets their individual needs. Perhaps that means you’ll be accompanying someone to the gym – or on a walk. It might mean supporting their interests in the creative arts or building their social ties in their local community. The options and opportunities are pretty much limitless.
The arrival of the NDIS has also meant the creation of large numbers of new jobs in helping administer the scheme, such as working with people with disability to develop their support plans. So entry-level jobs are just the beginning when it comes to a career in disability support. Now, it might be exactly the right time to get started.
To find out more about starting your career in disability care, take our quiz on Qualy today. You can search our online directory and find your ideal disability care course, and our expert team are on-hand to offer the information you need.
