Preparing Yourself for a Role in the Aged Care Industry

You might be thinking about taking an aged care course because you already work in the sector and want to increase your expertise in aged care, or you could be looking for aged care courses to get the first foot in the door before beginning a career in aged care. At Qualy, we can connect candidates with aged care courses across Australia, and we’re here to help you get off to a great start on your journey to gaining the qualifications that will help you set yourself apart.

Today, it’s easier than ever to study aged care courses, and students can even take some aged care courses online. An aged care course is a great way to prepare yourself for a career of working in aged care, as well as an effective way to make your CV stand out from the rest. Let’s take a look at some of the benefits of taking a course in aged care, and why these courses are designed to prepare students to excel professionally in the aged care industry.

What do aged care courses cover?

Aged care courses offered by various providers will differ slightly in terms of overall course content, but all aged care courses will have been designed with the core elements of aged care work in mind. These include:

• Basics of health and anatomy
• Legal and ethical issues
• Safety and hygiene principles
• Supporting aged care patients as individuals
• Supporting patients emotionally
• Professional practice skills
• Empowerment skills
• Palliative care
• Specialising in conditions such as dementia

When looking for aged care courses, it’s important to look for a course that offers modules in areas of aged care that you’re particularly interested in; for example, if you’ve always wanted to work with patients suffering from dementia, it’s a good idea to find a course that offers an elective module in dementia care so that you can demonstrate to prospective employers that you have skills in this field.

Aged care courses are usually centred around ‘core’ modules, which are the modules that all students have to study. These modules will have been designed to cover the most essential aspects of aged care, arming students with the skills and expertise necessary to provide a high-quality service that supports patients emotionally, physically, and practically.

How will an aged care course prepare me for the industry?

With modules designed around the key elements and skills that candidates will need to succeed in a career in aged care, aged care courses are the perfect preparation for entering the workforce as a carer specialising in this field.

Some courses may include elements of work experience, where candidates can gain valuable insight into what it’s like to work in an aged care facility, as well as earning valuable experience that can be used in future applications for work. Work experience is particularly valuable for beginners in the industry, who probably don’t yet have a strong grasp on what it’s really like to work in aged care.

Theoretical elements of the courses will be designed to give candidates all the skills and knowledge they will need at work, as well as stimulating bigger questions about the real benefits of aged care and how aged care can be improved. These modules don’t just prepare students for work in aged care, but can potentially help them to go on to higher positions in the industry where a working knowledge of some of the wider issues surrounding aged care will be of use.

Where can I study aged care courses?

Aged care courses are offered by numerous colleges and other educational institutions across Australia. You can use our listings online to search and apply for courses in aged care that are local to you. Some of the most popular college providers of aged care courses include Kirana Colleges and the IST, but there are many other providers operating across the country.

Choosing which aged care course you take is just as important as taking it; it’s important to choose a course that interests you, and which offers a schedule that will fit around your life and work. Browse our aged care courses online today at Qualy and give yourself the best start to a bright new career in aged care.

Take our quiz to see if becoming an aged care worker is the right option for you.