Aged Care Worker
Aged care workers help older people with the daily tasks that frailty or illness make hard, from showering and dressing to meals and getting around, in a care home or in the person's own home.
- Median salary
- $91,600
4.0%vs last year, before tax
- People employed
- 376,300
1.6%vs last year
- Projected growth
- +18.1%
to 2035
- AI exposure*
- Low
- automation risk
- Average hours
- 43/wk
+3h vs all jobs
- Shortage status
- In shortage
national
Aged care workers provide personal care, meals, mobility support and medication prompting, mostly in residential aged care homes but also through home care visits. They work under the supervision of registered or enrolled nurses, who handle the clinical tasks the role does not cover, and they record changes in a resident's condition so the nursing team can act on them. In a residential home they work alongside nurses, allied health staff and lifestyle coordinators, while home care workers spend much of the day on their own, moving between clients.
How much do aged care workers earn?
The median full-time salary for an aged care worker is $91,600 per annum, before tax, up $19,100 since 2018.
Most aged care workers are covered by the Aged Care Industry Award, so your pay depends on your classification level and on the penalties that apply to the shifts you work, with nights, weekends and public holidays paying more and casual loading adding to the hourly rate. Providers with an enterprise agreement often pay above the award, and home care roles may include travel time or a travel allowance rather than a set shift. Because so much of the work is permanent part-time or casual, the annual figure assumes full-time hours across the year.
What does an aged care worker do day to day?
The list below is what fills most weeks; the exact mix shifts with seniority and whatever stage the current work is at.
- Helping residents shower, dress and manage continence care with dignity and privacy
- Using hoists and other mobility aids to transfer residents safely between bed, chair and bathroom
- Prompting and recording medication doses on the medication chart, then reporting any missed or refused doses to the nurse on duty
- Noting changes in a resident's mood, appetite or mobility in the electronic health record so the care team can follow up
- Sitting with residents over meals and activities, building the familiarity that makes it easier to notice when something is wrong
What skills do aged care workers need?
Employers look for patient care and support, care planning and coordination, infection control and hygiene, backed by Electronic health records (EHR) systems fluency and strong written communication.
Specialist skills
- Patient care and support
- Care planning and coordination
- Infection control and hygiene
- Medication management
Software and tools
- Electronic health records (EHR) systems
- Manual handling equipment
- Continence care products
- Mobility aids and hoists
- Medication charts
General skills
- Written communication
- Empathy and interpersonal care
- Attention to detail
- Problem solving
Is the job growing?
About 376,300 people work as aged care workers in Australia, and employment is projected to grow 18.1% over the decade to 2035. That's healthy, above-average growth, and the role should stay in solid demand.
How do you become an aged care worker?
Here's the path most aged care workers take, step by step.
- 1Get the clearances employers ask for
You will need a National Police Check, and in most states an NDIS Worker Screening Check as well; some roles also require a Working with Children Check, and vaccination evidence is standard in residential homes. These take a few weeks, so starting them early makes you employable sooner.
- 2Complete a Certificate III in Individual Support (Ageing)
This is the qualification most employers list, usually six to twelve months through TAFE or a private registered training organisation and including a work placement. A traineeship with a provider lets you earn while you study and is the most common way in for people already working in the sector.
- 3Or start in an entry-level role and study as you go
Some providers, particularly in home care and casual residential shifts, take on people without a qualification and train them on the job. You would typically still be expected to begin the Certificate III within your first year or so to move onto permanent shifts.
- 4Pick up the short courses the work requires
First aid, manual handling and medication assistance units are often delivered by the employer, and each one widens the duties you can take on. Medication competency in particular moves you off casual pool shifts and onto a regular roster.
- 5Build towards a Certificate IV or nursing
A Certificate IV in Ageing Support (CHC43015) opens team leader and care coordinator roles, and a Diploma of Nursing (HLT54121) leads to enrolled nurse registration with AHPRA, which is where the clinical work and the higher pay sit.
Study routes we have checked
Qualifications that are a recognised way into this role, and what else you need.
- Certificate III in Individual Support
A recognised route into this role
Select the relevant ageing or disability specialisation and complete required placement and employer checks.
- Certificate IV in Ageing Support
A recognised route into this role
Complete the course's workplace requirements and applicable employer checks.
Ready to apply as an aged care worker?
Whether you're working toward becoming an aged care worker or already are one and want a hand with the next step (sharpening your resume for ATS screening, tightening your cover letter, or knowing what you'll actually be asked at interview), here are examples grounded in this specific role, not generic templates.
What jobs can an aged care worker move to?
Moving into Registered Nurse typically comes with the biggest pay rise, worth $22,400 a year more on average.
| Move to | Typical pay change | Overlap | Retraining |
|---|---|---|---|
| Registered Nurse Aged care workers bring hands-on resident care experience to nursing, but becoming a registered nurse requires a nursing degree and registration.Known move | +$22,400 | 79% | requalify |
| Enrolled Nurse Aged care workers' personal care skills and familiarity with residents carry into enrolled nursing, with diploma study needed for registration.Known move | +$800 | 79% | reskill |
| Disability Support Worker Aged care workers' personal care and daily living support skills transfer directly to disability support work, needing little or no retraining. | +$0 | 45% | minimal |
| Diversional Therapist Aged care workers understand residents' routines and interests, making diversional therapy a natural next step once activity-focused qualifications are completed. | −$17,000 | 35% | reskill |
| Assistant in Nursing Aged care workers can move into hospital assistant in nursing roles, applying personal care experience while a short course updates acute care skills.Known move | −$26,600 | 50% | short course |
Moves are chosen from Jobs and Skills Australia's Data on Occupation Mobility, which follows income tax records between 2011-12 and 2020-21, together with entry requirements and skill overlap. A known move is one people were seen making in that data. Pay change compares median full-time pay for the two roles.
Who works as an aged care worker?
The typical aged care worker is 41 years old; 73% are women, 40% work full-time, and full-timers average 43 hours a week.
- 41
- Median age
- 73%
- Female share
- 40%
- Full-time
- +3h
- vs all-jobs avg
What's it like being an aged care worker?
Shifts set the shape of the week: an early start, a set list of residents, and a handover at the end. The work is physical and the roster is often tight, but the same people are there the next day, so the relationships build in a way few jobs allow. It suits people who are patient, steady with the messy parts of personal care, and comfortable working at someone else's pace.
What people like
- Knowing the people you care for. You learn how a resident likes their tea, which side they sleep on and when they are having a bad day, and that continuity is what makes the care good.
- Clear usefulness by the end of a shift. The job is finished when people are washed, fed, comfortable and safe, so the value of the day is visible rather than abstract.
- Working alongside a team. Care is rarely done alone. You hand over to nurses, work in pairs for two-person transfers and lean on colleagues when a resident deteriorates, which builds close working relationships quickly.
- Options for how you work. Residential homes, home care visits, respite and community programs all need the same core skills, and part-time and casual rosters make the job workable around study or family.
What people find hard
- The list rarely fits the shift. Residents need what they need when they need it, and an unexpected fall, a refusal or a call to the bathroom can put the whole morning behind, which means some days end with tasks carried over.
- Physical wear over time. Hoisting, repositioning and bending add up, and backs, shoulders and knees are the usual places aged care workers feel it after a few years.
- Nights, weekends and split shifts. Care runs around the clock, so rosters include early starts, evening shifts, sleepovers and every second weekend, which takes planning if you have family or study commitments.
- Loss is part of the job. You get to know residents well, and people you have cared for die, sometimes after a long decline. Providers vary in how much support they offer around that.
Based on our synthesis of professional-body surveys and public accounts of the role, not first-person verified reviews.
Which industries employ aged care workers?
Health Care and Social Assistance employs the largest share of aged care workers.
Top employing industries
- 1Health Care and Social Assistance
Ranked by employment share; the source doesn't publish an exact percentage per industry.
| Certificate III/IV | 36.6% | |
|---|---|---|
| Year 12 or below | 23% | |
| Diploma / Advanced Diploma | 15% | |
| Bachelor degree | 13.4% | |
| Postgraduate | 5.3% |
Will AI replace aged care workers?
AI and automation touch the paperwork around aged care rather than the care itself, so the exposure here is low. Rostering software, electronic care management systems and sensor-based falls monitoring are already common in larger providers and change how records are kept and shifts are filled, but they do not shower a resident or notice that someone has stopped eating. The parts of the job that involve hands, presence and judgement about a person stay with the worker.
Share of typical working time by exposure level
- Personal care and continence supportShowering, dressing and toileting are physical and private, and residents often want the same carer they know rather than a machine or a stranger.35%low
- Transfers and mobility assistanceHoists are mechanical aids, but deciding how to move someone safely, and reassuring them while you do it, is still hands-on work.25%low
- Medication prompting and chartingElectronic medication charts and alerts already flag a missed dose or a due time, though the carer still hands over the dose and reports a refusal to the nurse.20%moderate
- Observing and reporting changesCare records now prompt for standard observations and can flag weight loss or a fall risk, but recognising that a resident seems withdrawn or in pain comes from spending the shift with them.20%moderate
Common questions about becoming an aged care worker
Straight answers to the questions people ask most.
How much does an aged care worker earn?
Aged care workers earn $91,600 per year before tax on the full-time median. Your own figure depends on your classification level under the Aged Care Industry Award, whether your employer has an enterprise agreement, how much penalty-rate shift work you pick up and whether you are permanent or casual.
Do you need a qualification to work in aged care?
Most employers ask for a Certificate III in Individual Support (CHC33021) (Ageing), but some hire entry-level workers without one and train them on the job, especially for casual and home care roles. Holding the certificate usually gets you a permanent roster and a higher classification, so it is worth starting even if you begin without it.
Are aged care workers in demand?
Aged care workers are currently in shortage nationally, and employment is projected to grow 18.1% over the decade to 2035 across the decade. For someone looking for work, that means providers in most areas advertise continuously and shifts are usually available without a long search, though the mix of permanent and casual roles varies by provider and region.
Will AI replace aged care workers?
No. Showering, transferring and reading how someone is feeling are hands-on and relational, and the exposure here is low. Rostering software, electronic care records and sensor-based monitoring are already in use and cut down the time spent on paperwork, which leaves more of the shift for residents rather than replacing the person doing the caring.
What can aged care workers move into?
Enrolled nursing pays $800 more and uses the same personal care and resident familiarity, with a Diploma of Nursing and AHPRA registration needed. Registered nursing pays $22,400 more and requires a nursing degree, while disability support work pays about the same and applies the same daily living skills with little retraining.
How many hours do aged care workers work?
Full-time aged care workers average 43 hours a week, and 40% of the workforce works full time, so a large share of roles are part-time or casual. Shift times are set by the roster rather than chosen, and weekend and night work is normal.
Related roles
- Registered Nurse
- Enrolled Nurse
- Assistant in Nursing
- Diversional Therapist
- Disability Support Worker
- Assistant in Nursing
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