Training places for qualifications
Training opportunities for new aged care workers include fee-free TAFE and subsidised places.
Fee-free TAFE
Fee-free TAFE includes aged care qualifications, such as:
- Certificate III in Individual Support (Ageing)
- Certificate III in Individual Support (Ageing, Home and Community)
- Certificate III in Individual Support (Home and Community)
- Certificate IV in Ageing Support.
Fee-free places will target priority groups including:
- First Nations people
- young people
- job seekers
- unpaid carers
- women in non-traditional fields of study
- people with disability.
To learn more about the training places available in your state or territory, view the Your Career website.
Home Care Workforce Support Program
The Home Care Workforce Support Program provides subsidised training and supported work placement opportunities for home care workers.
Online training
We have supported the University of Tasmania to develop the Equip Aged Care Learning modules for aged care workers, volunteers, caregivers, and anyone with an interest in improving care for older people.
These free modules cover 14 aged care topics, including:
- dementia
- palliative and end of life care
- wound and falls management
- mental health and wellbeing
- cross-cultural awareness.
Dementia care training
The Dementia Training Program will upskill more aged workers in dementia care. Dementia Training Australia deliver this nationally accredited program.
Palliative care training
Three national palliative care projects are expanding to include residential aged care worker training. This will help older people receive better quality palliative and end-of-life care when they need it.
National palliative care projects include:
- Program of Experience in the Palliative Approach
- End-of-Life Directions for Aged Care
- Palliative Care Outcomes Collaboration.
Nurse clinical placements and leadership
We are supporting nurses to enter the sector and build their careers in clinical and management leadership through:
- Transition to practice programs
- clinical placements
- scholarships.
Bachelor and Master of Nursing students can receive support to gain high-quality clinical placements in the care and support sector, including:
- aged care
- veterans’ care
- disability support.
Learn more about opportunities for nurses.
Infection prevention and control training grant
Residential aged care homes require a lead nurse responsible for infection prevention and control (IPC).
Eligible homes can nominate an IPC lead nurse to apply for the Aged Care Infection Prevention and Control training grant. Training must be started by 30 June 2023 and completed by the date arranged in your grant agreement.
Suitable training courses include:
- Foundations of Infection Prevention and Control for Aged Care Staff at the Australasian College for Infection Prevention and Control (ACIPC)
- Graduate Certificate in Infection Prevention and Control, Griffith University
- Master in Infection Prevention and Control, Griffith University
- Graduate Certificate of Infection Control, James Cook University
- Graduate Certificate in Nursing Science (Infection Control Nursing), University of Adelaide.
IPC lead nurses must also complete COVID-19 infection control online training modules.