Can I work in aged care without a certificate?

September 21, 2023

Do you see yourself providing care for older adults? Discover the qualifications you need (or don’t!) to make a difference in a field that’s seeking compassionate workers.

Working in aged care can provide a rewarding career with both longevity and impact. You’ll give physical, personal and emotional support to our elderly population – those who have lived, laughed and loved in the years before us.

Compassion aside, if you’re looking for a field that’s diverse, this may be it. The type of care you will provide can vary as much as the people.

Day-to-day aged care worker activities may include:

• Preparing meals and drinks
• Helping with dressing and showering
• Communicating with family members
• Providing light physiotherapy
• Assisting with mobility 
• Providing social support

As an aged care worker, you’ll also be required to follow necessary health and safety guidelines. Part of this is learning how to operate equipment to assist with client’s mobility, such as wheelchair hoists and swivel cushions to help with getting out of bed, chairs or cars. You may also need to know how to use sight and hearing appropriate equipment and aids, such as Braille to communicate with sight impaired or software to output sound for the hearing impaired. 

Another important part of the job is being attuned to changes in your clients’ physical and mental health over your duration of care, particularly noticing signs of depression or anxiety.

Sound like something you’d like to dedicate your life to? Aged care work is a field in which you can find fulfilment, joy and purpose – making a real impact in the latter stages of someone’s life.  You’ll come home each night feeling exhausted, yes, but like you’re making a true difference. 

So, do you need qualifications to work in aged care? 

Good question! Here’s the deal. You can technically work in aged care without a qualification. But let’s dig a little deeper. 

Some people choose to enter employment in an aged care setting first to find out whether the industry is right for them, and then get training on the job. However, roles that do not require certification are at a lower level (and are generally lower paid) than those that require study. Should you go this route, and choose to continue in the industry seeking greater career opportunities and salary, you may end up needing to study anyway.

Meanwhile, other people choose to commit to aged care study from the get-go – setting themselves up for a greater chance at employability and specialisation in niche areas. 

Find out more about the paths you can take, with or without qualifications, below. 

I’d like to start small by dipping my toe in aged care study

Wanting to find out if the topic is worth your while before committing is completely understandable. If this is you, you might like to consider a shorter-term qualification such as a Certificate II Introduction to Aged Care or Certificate III in Individual support, available through various TAFE providers. This type of entry-level qualification generally doesn’t require previous study and can take as little as 6-months to complete. 

Should you find that aged care as a topic is not what you thought it was, you can always finish your Certificate and use it to show employees of any industry that you’re dedicated to learning. Employers of all fields like to see completed qualifications on CVs no matter the field – it shows dedication. For this reason, a completed Certificate, subject or short course is never a waste of time or effort, even if you change your mind.

If you do like what you’ve studied, a Certificate in aged care can make a great steppingstone to further study. Our student advisors are experts in reviewing the qualifications you are currently completing or have already completed, and recommending further courses. In some cases, you may even be able to shave time off a longer-length degree with previous coursework. We call this Recognition of Prior Learning. 

I’d like to commit to broader foundational study in aged care

Good on you. Committing yourself to a longer-term course such as a Diploma allows you to build a suite of skills that will set you up for a long and rewarding career. 

Choose to study a course such as the Diploma of Ageing Studies and Services with University of Tasmania, available to study online through Open Universities Australia, and you can get a well-rounded perspective of aged care. You’ll look at health and social systems as a whole, as well as major diseases associated with ageing, such as dementia. 

Alternatively, a Diploma of Creative Arts and Health – also with the University of Tasmania, available to study online through Open Universities Australia – will allow you to unleash your creativity to improve older adults’ physical and mental health. You’ll learn about the innovative way the arts are being used in a range of community and healthcare settings, and how you can apply it through your work as an aged care or community worker. 

I’m dedicated to studying a longer-term course in aged care

A recent report commissioned by the Human Services Skills Corporation reveals that an extra 95,000 jobs will be created in the aged care sector in the next five years. Which is why undertaking a longer-term course, such as a Bachelor, could be a worthwhile investment. 

With a Bachelor of Dementia Care, available to study online through Open Universities Australia for instance, you’ll learn practical strategies for how to help care for people living with the condition. 

I want to further my existing studies in aged care

At Open Universities Australia, we believe knowledge is power. It unlocks doors. It allows you to go beyond your wildest dreams. 

If running an aged care facility is one of those dreams, a Master of Ageing and Health, available to study with Charles Sturt University online through Open Universities Australia, could be worth your while. 

Masters degrees allow you to learn not only niche knowledge in your area of interest, but leadership skills to further your career. You might see yourself managing teams of aged care workers in the first instance, before progressing to centre management. If you’d like to make a community scale impact, this could be the path for you. 

So there you have it. While you don’t “need” a qualification to work in aged care, there are many benefits in doing so. That being said, for many the allure of the field is that it’s accessible without a history of study.

Why not kick-start your dream by exploring aged care courses, available to study online with leading Australian universities right now,S through Open Universities Australia.