How to become a Residential Aged Care Worker
Also called: Aged Care Support Worker, Care Service Employee (Aged Care), Personal Care Assistant (Aged Care), Personal Care Worker (Aged Care)
Provides general assistance, emotional support and direct person-centred care for older people residing in an aged care home.
Main tasks
- Supports residents with daily activities, such as mobility and personal care
- Monitors medication administration to ensure it is used correctly and effectively
- Negotiates with individuals and families regarding the acceptance of care provided
- Provides community engagement and social support to residents
- Supports a multidisciplinary team to adhere to health plans as directed by health care professionals
- Provides emotional support and assists residents in managing depression, confusion and grief
- Complies with standards within an aged care facility
- May perform specialised personal care, such as palliative care and dementia support
- May facilitate basic medical procedures, such as catheterisation and peg feeding
Ways in
- TAFE and VET: Certificate III in Individual Support (CHC33021); Certificate IV in Ageing Support (CHC43015)
Pay · Outlook · AI and this job
- Typical full-time pay: $83,824 a year
- About 115,000 people work in this job group now, and about 143,400 are projected by 2035. (+24.7%)
- AI is more likely to help with parts of this job than to do it. Jobs and Skills Australia rates its automation exposure as low.
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Questions people ask
How do I become a Residential Aged Care Worker?
Ways in include: Certificate III in Individual Support; Certificate IV in Ageing Support.
How much does a Residential Aged Care Worker earn in Australia?
Median full-time pay is $83,824 a year (Jobs and Skills Australia).
Is a Residential Aged Care Worker a growing career in Australia?
Yes. Employment is projected to grow 25% by 2035, from about 115,000 to about 143,400 people (Jobs and Skills Australia).
Do you need a degree to become a Residential Aged Care Worker?
Usually not. Only 21% of people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher. Ways in include: Certificate III in Individual Support; Certificate IV in Ageing Support.
Will AI change the work of a Residential Aged Care Worker?
AI is more likely to help with parts of this job than to do it. Jobs and Skills Australia rates its automation exposure as low.
Sources
- Jobs and Skills Australia: Occupation data (ANZSCO), from ABS Labour Force and Census (February 2026), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 2026-10-04
- Jobs and Skills Australia: Generative AI Capacity Study, interactive table data (September 2025), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 2026-10-04
- Jobs and Skills Australia: Employment Projections (Victoria University) (May 2025 to May 2035), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 2026-10-04
- Australian Taxation Office: Taxation Statistics, Individuals Table 15A (2023-24), CC BY 2.5 AU, retrieved 2026-10-04
Updated 2026-10-04