5 rewarding careers in healthcare

As our expectations about work/life balance and career satisfaction evolve, many people are now placing a priority on doing work that is meaningful – and what better place is there to make a real difference than the healthcare sector?

Whether you already have experience in health and wellness support, or you’re making a career change and tapping into a love of caring for others, here are five rewarding healthcare vocations that may be perfect for you.

Nursing Assistant

A career as a nursing assistant is ideal for people who have an interest in general healthcare and a genuine passion for helping others.

You might have had experience caring for a family member, or perhaps you’re a natural nurturer looking for a career that will allow you to make a positive impact in the lives of people with health issues.

Nursing assistant roles are required across a range of healthcare environments, and can include:

• Hospital wards
• Operating theatres
• Dental clinics
• Residential care facilities
• Retirement villages
• In-home care

If you’re eager to make a difference through a rewarding nursing assistant role, a course such as the Certificate III in Health Services Assistance (HLT33115) can give you hands-on experience through work placement.

Welfare Support Worker

The healthcare sector not only focuses on physical health, but also includes mental and emotional wellbeing.

A career as a welfare support worker may resonate with you if you’re passionate about social issues and community enrichment, or if you’ve had personal experience seeing the positive difference welfare support can make.

Rewarding welfare support worker roles can include positions with:

• Child protection and family services
• Health education programs
• Disability services
• Refugee support agencies

If you’re passionate about helping people in your community, and acting as an advocate for those who may not otherwise have a voice, launch your career as a welfare support worker with one of the following courses:

• Bachelor of Applied Social Science (Community Services)
• Diploma of Mental Health (CHC53315)

Aged & Disabled Carer

If you enjoy working with elderly people, or you want to make a positive difference in the lives of those with disabilities, a career as an aged and disabled carer may be your calling.

Whether you’re interested in working one-on-one with people who require additional support, or making a difference through work with health agencies, community organisations or outreach programs, there are a variety of opportunities available.

If you find it easy to communicate and identify with older people and are a natural ‘people person’ with a flair for putting people at ease, begin your career as an aged and disabled carer with one of these flexible study options:

• Certificate III in Individual Support (Ageing, Home & Community) (CHC33015)
• Certificate III in Individual Support (Ageing) (CHC33015)
• Certificate IV in Mental Health (CHC43315)

Practice Manager

If you have exceptional organisational and communication skills and are interested in working in a medical setting, a career in practice management may be right for you.

Learn how to manage a health centre or general practice successfully with a nationally recognised Diploma of Practice Management (HLT57715) or use a Certificate III in Business Administration (Medical) (BSB31115) to prepare yourself to break into a new career in the healthcare industry as a Medical Receptionist.

Counsellor

A career as a counsellor can be a challenging but incredibly fulfilling, and may resonate with you if you’re an empathetic communicator with an innate interest and understanding of human behaviour.

The role of a counsellor is to provide support to people experiencing emotional difficulties by helping them to identify their issues, and develop coping strategies to address their concerns.

This field could lead you to work in a hospital, community centre, rehabilitation clinic, or as part of a government organisation.

If you’re calm under pressure, compassionate, and emotionally resilient, a career as a counsellor may be your career calling. Consider beginning your path towards a career in counselling with one of these courses:

• Bachelor of Applied Social Science (Counselling)
• Bachelor of Applied Social Science (Community Services)
• Do you want to apply? Contact us to Start the application process today!