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What can I do with my TAFE qualification?

Health and Community Services

Please note: the information contained in this document was current as of January 2011 Refer to www.swinburne.edu.au/courses/ for the most recent updates. Refer to the Health and Community Services website www.tafe.swinburne.edu.au/health/ for further information and a list of the courses offered in this area.

The Health and Community Services (Social Assistance) sector employs more than 1.26 million people, or 11.2% of the workforce making it Australia’s largest employing industry. The industry has experienced strong growth over the past 10 years (by 44.2% or 366 100 people) particularly in hospitals and nursing homes, childcare and community care services.

The employment growth projection for the industry is very strong. An ageing population, the continued demand for child care coupled with the growth of community, home-based services and advances in medical technology are expected to increase the future demand for health services. It is projected that there will be a further increase of 3.3 per cent per annum, which equates to around 211 500 new jobs in the five years to 2014-15.

For further market and industry information relating to your discipline, please refer to:

As the population ages, the demand for a range of services for older people, including aged care residential services, is likely to continue to grow. The primary activities of the aged care residential services sector are the provision and operation of accommodation for the aged. This may be in the form of aged care hostels, nursing homes or residential complexes, such as retirement villages. On completion of a course at Swinburne, graduates will be able to gain employment as an aged care or personal care worker with older people in both community and residential settings. Job prospects for Aged Carers are good, employment to 2014-15 is expected to grow very strongly.

Jobs titles may include the following:

Aged Care Worker
HACC Worker (client homes)
Personal Care Attendant

Alcohol and drug workers provide assessment, support and intervention to clients with alcohol and drug issues and implement health promotion and community intervention programs. Employers may include community or non-profit organisations such as Turning Point and Odyssey House. Alcohol and drug workers work with groups of people in various settings, including community-based organisations, residential rehabilitation services and outreach services. Alcohol and drug workers may work in urban or remote areas.

Employment prospects depend on the level of government funding for community organisations and the number of programs to be conducted and administered. Job prospects for community welfare workers (including those who specialise in the provision of alcohol and other drug support) are good, with growth to 2014-15 expected to be strong.

Job titles may include the following:

Graduates of the Health Service Assistants courses can obtain work in the Health and Community Services industry as the major employers are hospitals and aged care facilities. Upon completion of the Allied Health Service course, graduates can work as assistants within private practice or professionals who work in a hospital-based setting. Students who are interested in a career in aged care or allied health assistance can look forward to good employment prospects with strong growth expected in their industry over the next five years.

Job titles may include the following:

Employment in childcare has risen strongly over the past ten years, and is expected to keep increasing. An increasing birth rate and likelihood that both parents will return to the workforce, combined with increased government subsidies, will make childcare more affordable, therefore increasing demand.

Students completing courses in Outside School Hours Care are highly regarded and entitled to work in a range of services including before school care, after school care, vacation care and camp programs as fully-qualified staff. There are also career pathways into service coordination, local government and, with further study, into policy and management roles. Job prospects for Childcare Workers are good, with growth to 2014-15 expected to be very strong.

Job titles may include the following:

Community development workers work with communities that experience disadvantage and discrimination. They may find employment in a range of environments including community houses, women's groups, ethnic groups, youth groups, action groups, conservation groups, trade unions and housing groups. They are involved in advocacy work, community planning, project development and management, resource provision, policy development, community engagement and community capacity building. The current employment market for Health and Welfare Services workers is good, with strong employment growth predicted to 2014-15.

Job titles may include the following:

Community Development Worker
Community Education Manager
Community Support Worker

The Disability Work courses provide students with skills and knowledge to work in a wide variety of disability service programs including residential, employment, day placement, educational, respite, council-based in-home support, attendant care, advocacy and peer support programs. Employers can be organisations such as Scope, Wesley Mission, Anglicare, and Vision Australia. Disability carers currently have good employment prospects, with moderate growth expected over the next five years.

Job titles may include the following:

Case Manager
Disability Development and Support Officer
Disability Development officer
Disability Worker
House Supervisor
Psycho-educational Trainer
Psycho-scial Trainer
Service Coordinator
Supervisor
Support Officer
Team Leader
Unit Manager

Graduates in this course can seek employment as an emergency medical responder (EMR). EMRs provide the first response care inline with Australian Resuscitation Council guidelines. They assess any dangers and control these in order to prevent additional injury to a patient. This qualification is especially suited for mine rescuers, firefighters, road rescuers, remote resort dive and tour operators and security personnel, or can provide an avenue for further studies. Employment opportunities for Fire and Emergency Workers are average, and are expected to grow moderately to 2014-15. Employment in this medium sized occupation (13 300 in November 2009) rose moderately in the past five years, and fell slightly in the long-term (ten years).

Job titles may include the following:

Community Based First Responder
Emergency Medical Responder
Emergency Medical Service First Responder

The Health Service Assistance course provides training to those people who are interested in providing therapeutic and program-related support to allied health professionals. As part of the course, students will be required to complete industry-based placements which will give them the opportunity to consolidate the knowledge acquired during the course in a practical context. Graduates of this course can work as assistants to physiotherapists, occupational therapists and speech therapists. Job prospects for Nursing Support and Personal Care Workers are good, with growth to 2014-15 expected to be very strong. Employment in this very large industry (it employed 93 600 people in November 2009) has risen strongly in the past five years, and very strongly in the long-term (ten years).

Job titles may include the following:

Students who complete qualifications in Leisure and Health can find employment in residential facilities and/or in community agencies and day centres. These workers design, implement and evaluate health and leisure programs for clients. Employment opportunities in this area are good, with strong growth expected in the sector over the next five years.

Job titles may include the following:

Activities Officer
Development Officer
Diversional Therapist
Program Manager
Support Worker

Occupational Health and Safety Officers coordinate health and safety systems in an organisation. They identify hazards and assess risks to health and safety, put appropriate safety controls in place and provide advice on accident prevention and occupational health to management and employees. Employment prospects for Occupational and Environmental Health professionals are good, with growth to 2014-15 expected to be very strong.

Job titles may include the following:

Special care workers have good employment prospects, with moderate employment growth expected to 2014-15. Graduates of such courses are eligible to apply for casual, part-time or full-time work in the out of home care sector, working with children and young people - from infants to young adults. Some of the community service organisations offering employment opportunities are Anglicare, Wesley Mission, Berry Street, MacKillop Family Services, Menzies Inc. and The Salvation Army.

Employment prospects for youth workers are similar to those for welfare workers, with moderate employment growth predicted to 2014-15. Graduates may work with young people in a wide range of settings, including educational/employment/job training, recreational/adventure, personal development and community projects. Employment may be gained with local government, secondary schools, community organisations and health centres.

Job titles may include the following:

The Sport and Recreation/Sport Development courses are designed for students seeking employment in sport administration, coaching, marketing, management, officiating and events management. On completion of a course at Swinburne, students are able to articulate to further Higher Education study in areas such as recreation, business, marketing and human movement. Job prospects for welfare, recreation and community arts workers are good, with growth to 2014-15 expected to be strong.

Job titles may include the following:

Events manager
Instructor
Officials
Sports coach

A qualification in Quality Auditing is suited for those who wish to become peer auditors or to participate in external independent quality auditing, equipping graduates with the expertise to plan, carry out and evaluate their own work and/or the work of a team. Job prospects for Auditors and Company Secretaries are good, with employment opportunities to 2014-15 expected to grow strongly.

Job titles may include the following:

Quality and Improvement Consultant
Quality Assurance Manager
Quality Facilitator
Service Quality System Support Analyst

Credit pathways may be available from TAFE to Higher Education

For a full list of credit pathways and requirements, see Swinburne Pathways website

For entry and admission requirements: www.swinburne.edu.au/courses

References and Relevant Websites

All job advertisements for graduate placements, casual, vacation, part-time and full-time employment
Links to employer websites
Enables students to book online for events such as workshops, employer information sessions and interviews
Access to Going Global (over 10,000 job vacancies listed across Europe, Asia-Pacific, UK and US. Global key employer directories, work permits & visa regulations, country-specific cultural & interviewing advice & more).

Addressing Selection Criteria
Assessment Centres
Cover Letters or Letters of Application
Curriculum Vitae or Resume
Employer Expectations of Graduates
Interviews - How to Plan, Prepare and Perform
Informational Interviewing
Job Hunting
Networking: What Is It and How Do You Do It?
Online Applications
Psychometric Tests
Skills and Attributes
Thinking About Changing Your Course?
Tips for facing the work environment and your first professional job

Careers and Employment often a range of free services to Swinburne students and graduates

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