Education
Education
Disability care

Disability care

If you’d like to make a genuine difference in a person’s life, have great personal satisfaction as well as flexible hours, then a career in disability care could be for you.

Kickstart your career in the disability sector

The National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) is increasing the number of people receiving these services as well as creating new jobs and opportunities for workers.

Under Skills NSW, fee-free training for full and part qualification courses are available for job seekers and existing workers looking to upskill or reskill in the disability sector.

Training is fully funded by the NSW and Commonwealth governments.

Key information and dates
  • Many courses and locations are available across NSW, including online.
  • New employees, while formal qualifications are not essential for entry into disability care work, it is highly recommended that you complete a Certificate III in Individual Support (Disability) or a Certificate IV in Disability.
  • Existing employees in the disability sector can upgrade their qualifications for free. Several full and part qualifications are available. 
  • Enrolments close on 31 December 2023.
Benefits for new and existing disability support staff

For new staff:

Making a difference to another person’s life is one of the most rewarding things you can do – and that’s something disability support workers do every day.

Other benefits include:

  • Access to government-subsidised full and part qualification courses
  • A challenging and rewarding career providing support to people living with disability across many settings
  • Each day on the job is different to the next
  • Work-life balance: the hours vary, so they can be arranged to suit your schedule. This allows a high degree of flexibility to fit a disability support job around study or personal responsibilities.
  • Challenge: the work is not always easy, but the personal rewards of changing someone’s life are significant
  • Plenty of opportunities: the rollout of the NDIS has resulted in a jobs boom meaning qualified workers are less likely to be out of work
  • The industry offers competitive rates of pay and superannuation, as well as the opportunity to ‘salary package’ in some organisations – allowing you to access some of your pay tax-free, which can add thousands of dollars’ worth of benefits to your salary.

 

For existing staff:

  • Access to government-subsidised full and part qualification courses
  • Improved job prospects, better pay and conditions
  • Up-to-date knowledge and skills meaning better quality of care for people with disability
  • Increased confidence and capability in the workplace
  • Improved career progression into a team leader or supervisory role within the industry
  • Improve the skills base of disability support, which ultimately means better pay and working conditions for everyone.
Possible career pathways to explore

Certificate III in Individual Support (Disability)

  • Disability support worker
  • Accommodation support worker
  • Home care assistant
  • Community care worker
  • Residential support officer
  • Personal carer
  • Lifestyle support worker
  • Assistant in nursing


Certificate IV in Disability

  • Behavioural support officer
  • Community based support officer
  • Disability team leader/supervisor
  • Senior personal care assistant
  • Care service team leader.
You may be able to study a fee-free course in disability support if you are:
  • 15 years old or over
  • no longer at school
  • living or working in NSW
  • an Australian citizen, permanent resident, humanitarian visa holder or New Zealand citizen.

You do not have to be working in the disability sector or have previous industry experience to access fee-free full qualifications in disability care.

In addition, your eligibility is not affected if you have completed a vocational education and training (VET) course, including a school-based apprenticeship or traineeship, as part of your high school education.

No matter who you are, Skills NSW makes it easier to access the training you need to enter this rewarding sector.

You may qualify for a range of discounts including fully-subsidised courses

Answer a few questions so we can calculate your course fees

Do you know where you'd prefer to study?

You may qualify for a range of discounts including fully-subsidised courses

Answer a few questions so we can calculate your course fees

Certificate IV in Disability
Standard course fee:
$8,270.00
Estimated fee: $0.00 to $240.00
Delivery Mode
Program Type
Traineeship
Estimated Duration i Indicative duration range based on actual student completion. For apprenticeships and traineeships, the duration includes study and employment under a training contract. A dash indicates insufficient data is available.

Learn More

-
Certificate IV in Disability
Standard course fee:
$8,270.00
Estimated fee: $0.00 to $240.00
Delivery Mode
Program Type
Full qualification
Estimated Duration i Indicative duration range based on actual student completion. For apprenticeships and traineeships, the duration includes study and employment under a training contract. A dash indicates insufficient data is available.

Learn More

-
Certificate III in Individual Support
Standard course fee:
$6,930.00
Estimated fee: $0.00 to $240.00
Delivery Mode
Program Type
Traineeship
Estimated Duration i Indicative duration range based on actual student completion. For apprenticeships and traineeships, the duration includes study and employment under a training contract. A dash indicates insufficient data is available.

Learn More

-
Certificate III in Individual Support
Standard course fee:
$6,930.00
Estimated fee: $0.00 to $240.00
Delivery Mode
Program Type
Full qualification
Estimated Duration i Indicative duration range based on actual student completion. For apprenticeships and traineeships, the duration includes study and employment under a training contract. A dash indicates insufficient data is available.

Learn More

8 months (full-time)
disability

Interested in short courses?

You can start with a short course (or part qualification) offering new skill sets and a license to fast track your career. Short courses are on nationally accredited subjects and are offered at TAFE NSW, community and private colleges. They can be used as a starting point to complete a full qualification at a later stage.

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We're here to help

For lifelong careers information and to access free professional career guidance visit Careers NSW.

Not sure what courses are available or how to enrol? Contact your nearest Training Services NSW office on 13 28 11 to help you make connections with the right organisations and people in your region.

We're here to help

Select an option from the services below.

Contact us

For more support contact your nearest Training Services NSW centre on 13 28 11 or reach out.

Training Services NSW

Not sure what courses are available or how to enrol? Contact your nearest office for help making connections in your region.

Careers NSW

For other career related information and support.

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Send an enquiry

Send an enquiry using the form on the left. Alternatively, here is how to contact your nearest Training Services NSW office.

Ring 13 28 11 to be directed to your nearest office or navigate to the Contact Us page to view our locations.

How long will it take to complete this qualification?

Short Course

All short courses are currently shown as under 4 months duration, based on the Department of Education's internal data analysis. Ask your provider for more information.

Qualification

Duration information is based on 20 hours of class time per week and uses aggregated data reported to the Department by Smart and Skilled providers.

Apprenticeships and Traineeships

The duration indicates contract term which includes both formal training and full-time employment under a training contract. This is based on aggregated data reported to the Department by Smart and Skilled providers. Click here for more information about doing an apprenticeship or traineeship and ask your provider for guidance on your individual circumstances.