Aged and Disabled Carers

ANZSCO ID 4231

Overview

Snapshot

Employed
276,600
Future Growth
28%
Weekly Earnings
$1,382
Full-Time Share
32%
Female Share
80%
Average age
47

Summary

Aged and Disabled Carers provide general household assistance, emotional support, care and companionship for aged and disabled persons in their own homes.

Also known as: Personal Care Worker, or Personal Carer.

Formal qualifications are not essential to work as an Aged or Disabled Carer. Although some workers have a certificate III or IV in aged care, disability, mental health, community services or another related field.

Tasks

  • accompanying aged and disabled persons during daily activities

  • assisting clients with their mobility

  • preparing food for clients

  • arranging social activities

  • performing housekeeping tasks such as vacuuming and cleaning

  • assisting in personal hygiene and dressing

  • providing companionship, friendship and emotional support

  • may do shopping and run errands

  • may live in with the person

Characteristics

Job Type
Community And Personal Service Workers
Skill Level
Lower skill
ANZSCO Occupation group
Unemployment Rate
Average
Industries
Pathway(s)
  • Vocational Education and Training (VET)
  • Informal or on-the-job
Interests
  • Practical
  • Administrative
  • Helping
Physical Demand
  • Light
  • Medium
  • Heavy
  • Very Heavy

Outlook

Employment Outlook

JSA produces employment projections to show where likely future job opportunities may be. The latest data are for the five years from November 2021 to November 2026. Over this period, the number of workers:

  • is expected to grow very strongly
  • is likely to reach 341,800 by 2026.

Source: Jobs and Skills Australia Employment Projections to 2026.

Notes: The number employed includes people who work in this occupation as their main job. People who work in more than one job are counted against the occupation they work the most hours in.

Employment projections figures are rounded to the nearest 100. Calculations based on these rounded figures may result in differences to the numbers that are displayed on this page. Employment projections data (including occupations) can be downloaded from the Employment Projections page.

Projected Change
28%
(or 74,900 jobs)
From
266,900
in 2021
To
341,800
in 2026

Number of Workers

Source: ABS Labour Force Survey, ABS seasonally adjusted data to November 2021 and Jobs and Skills Australia Employment Projections to 2026.
Year Employment
2011 118,100
2012 118,200
2013 130,600
2014 139,100
2015 144,100
2016 163,200
2017 169,100
2018 174,400
2019 214,900
2020 222,200
2021 266,900
2026 341,800

Source: ABS Labour Force Survey, ABS seasonally adjusted data to November 2021 and Jobs and Skills Australia Employment Projections to 2026.


Earnings and hours

Working arrangements

  • Around 33% of people employed as Aged and Disabled Carers work full-time hours, in all their jobs combined. This is 33 percentage points below the all jobs average (66%).

    Full-time workers work an average of 43 hours per week in their main job. This is similar to the all jobs average (44 hours per week).

    Median full-time earnings are $1,382 per week, this is much lower than the all jobs median ($1,593):

    • 3 in 4 workers earn more than $1,206
    • 1 in 4 earn more than $1,744

    Median hourly earnings are $36, this is lower than the all jobs median ($41 per hour).

    Sources: Full-time share and full-time hours: ABS, 2016 Census, customised report. Compared to the all jobs average. Full-time median earnings and median hourly earnings: ABS, Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours, May 2021. Compared to all jobs median.

Weekly Earnings (Before Tax)

Source: Based on ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours, May 2021, Customised Report. Median weekly total cash earnings for full-time non-managerial employees paid at the adult rate. Earnings are before tax and include amounts salary sacrificed. Earnings can vary greatly depending on the skills and experience of the worker and the demands of the role. These figures should be used as a guide only, not to determine a wage rate.
Earnings Aged and Disabled Carers All Jobs Average
Full-Time Earnings 1,382 1,593
Total Earnings 0 0

Source: Based on ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours, May 2021, Customised Report. Median weekly total cash earnings for full-time non-managerial employees paid at the adult rate. Earnings are before tax and include amounts salary sacrificed. Earnings can vary greatly depending on the skills and experience of the worker and the demands of the role. These figures should be used as a guide only, not to determine a wage rate.


Industries

Main industries

1
Health Care and Social Assistance
96.3%
2
Public Administration and Safety
1.1%
3
Education and Training
0.8%
4
Administrative and Support Services
0.7%
5
Other industries
1.2%

Regions

Employment across Australia

NSW

26.9% All occupations: 31.6%

VIC

26.7% All occupations: 25.6%

QLD

18.2% All occupations: 20.0%

SA

11.7% All occupations: 7.0%

WA

10.5% All occupations: 10.8%

TAS

3.8% All occupations: 2.0%

NT

0.7% All occupations: 1.0%

ACT

1.4% All occupations: 1.9%

Employment by State and Territory (% Share)

State Aged and Disabled Carers All Jobs Average
NSW 26.9 31.6
VIC 26.7 25.6
QLD 18.2 20.0
SA 11.7 7.0
WA 10.5 10.8
TAS 3.8 2.0
NT 0.7 1.0
ACT 1.4 1.9


  • Around 49% of Aged and Disabled Carers live outside of capital cities, compared with the all jobs average of 38%.

    South Australia has a large share of employment relative to its population size.

    The regions with the largest share of workers are:

    Source: Based on ABS Census 2016, Customised Report. Share of workers across Australian states, territories and regions, in this job compared to the all jobs average.


Worker profile

Age and gender

Age In Years
47
All Jobs Average is 40
Female Share
80%
All Jobs Average is 48%
  • The median age of Aged and Disabled Carers is 47 years. This is higher than the all jobs average of 40 years.

    A large share of workers are aged 45 to 54 years.

    Females make up 80% of the workforce. This is 32 percentage points above the all jobs average of 48%.

    Source: Based on ABS Census 2016, Customised Report. Age profile and gender share compared to the all jobs average.

Age Profile (% Share)

Source: Based on ABS Census 2016, Customised Report. Age profile of workers in this job compared to the all jobs average.
Age Bracket Aged and Disabled Carers All Jobs Average
15-19 1.4 5.0
20-24 7.3 9.3
25-34 16.9 22.9
35-44 18.4 22.0
45-54 27.1 21.6
55-59 14.0 9.0
60-64 9.9 6.0
65 and Over 5.1 4.2
Median Age 47 40

Source: Based on ABS Census 2016, Customised Report. Age profile of workers in this job compared to the all jobs average.


Employment Pathways

Education, training and experience

Formal qualifications are not essential to work as an Aged or Disabled Carer. Although some workers have a certificate III or IV in aged care, disability, mental health, community services or another related field.

Visit

  • My Skills to compare Vocational Education and Training (VET) courses, providers and student outcomes.
  • AAPathways website to explore Health Industry and Community Services VET training pathways.

Highest Level of Education (% Share)

Source: ABS Census 2016, Customised Report. Highest qualification completed by workers in this job (in any field of study). Qualifications needed by new workers might be different from the qualifications of workers already in the job.
Type of Qualification Aged and Disabled Carers All Jobs Average
Post Graduate/Graduate Diploma or Graduate Certificate 3.5 10.1
Bachelor degree 12.1 21.8
Advanced Diploma/Diploma 15.5 11.6
Certificate III/IV 42.6 21.1
Year 12 11.6 18.1
Year 11 3.3 4.8
Year 10 and below 11.4 12.5

Source: ABS Census 2016, Customised Report. Highest qualification completed by workers in this job (in any field of study). Qualifications needed by new workers might be different from the qualifications of workers already in the job.


Skills and Knowledge

Employers look for Aged and Disabled Carers who are caring, compassionate, empathetic and reliable.

Skills

Skills can be improved through training or experience.

  • 54%

    Serving others

    Looking for ways to help people.

  • 45%

    Social perceptiveness

    Understanding why people react the way they do.

  • 45%

    Monitoring

    Keeping track of how well work is progressing so you can make changes or improvements.

  • 43%

    Critical thinking

    Thinking about the pros and cons of different ways to solve a problem.

  • 41%

    Active listening

    Listening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions.

  • 41%

    Speaking

    Talking to others.

  • 41%

    Coordination with others

    Being adaptable and coordinating work with other people.

  • 39%

    Active learning

    Being able to use what you have learnt to solve problems now and again in the future.

  • 39%

    Reading comprehension

    Reading work related information.

  • 39%

    Writing

    Writing things for co-workers or customers.

  • 37%

    Learning strategies

    Figuring out the best way to teach or learn something new.

  • 37%

    Time management

    Managing your own and other peoples' time to get work done.

  • 36%

    Judgment and decision making

    Figuring out the pros and cons of different options and choosing the best one.

  • 34%

    Complex problem solving

    Noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it.

  • 34%

    Instructing

    Teaching people how to do something.

  • 34%

    Persuasion

    Talking people into changing their minds or their behaviour.

  • 29%

    Negotiation

    Bringing people together and trying to sort out their differences.

  • 25%

    Quality control analysis

    Doing tests and checking products, services, or processes to make sure they are working properly.

  • 23%

    Operation monitoring

    Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.

  • 20%

    Systems analysis

    Figuring out how a system should work and how changes in conditions, operations, and the environment will affect it.


Knowledge

These are important topics, subjects or knowledge areas.

  • 59%

    Customer and personal service

    Understanding customer needs, providing good quality service, and measuring customer satisfaction.

  • 48%

    Psychology

    Human behaviour; differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; research methods; assessing and treating disorders.

  • 39%

    English language

    English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.

  • 33%

    Education and training

    Curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.

  • 30%

    Therapy and counselling

    Diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of physical and mental dysfunctions, and career counselling and guidance.

  • 29%

    Administration and management

    Business principles involved in strategic planning, leadership, and coordinating people and resources.

  • 27%

    Public safety and security

    Use of equipment, rules and ideas to protect people, data, property, and institutions.

  • 26%

    Transportation

    Moving people or goods by air, rail, sea, or road.

  • 25%

    Philosophy and theology

    Philosophical systems and religions, including their basic principles, values, ethics, ways of thinking, customs, practices, and impact on society.

  • 25%

    Mathematics

    Arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, or statistics.

  • 24%

    Clerical

    Word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and other office work.

  • 24%

    Sociology and anthropology

    Group behaviour and dynamics, societal trends and influences, human migrations, ethnicity, cultures and their history and origins.

  • 24%

    Medicine and dentistry

    Diagnose and treat human injuries, diseases, and deformities, including preventive health-care measures.

  • 22%

    Food production

    Planting, growing, and harvesting food (both plant and animal), including storage and handling.

  • 21%

    Law and government

    How our laws and courts work. Government rules and regulations, and the political system.

  • 19%

    Communications and media

    Media production, communication, and dissemination. Includes written, spoken, and visual media.

  • 18%

    Chemistry

    Chemical composition, structure, and properties. How chemicals are made, used, mixed, and can change.

  • 15%

    Personnel and human resources

    Recruiting and training people, managing pay and other entitlements (like sick leave), and negotiating pay and conditions.

  • 14%

    Computers and electronics

    Circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.

  • 12%

    Telecommunications

    Transmission, broadcasting, switching, control, and operation of telecommunications systems.


Abilities

Workers use these physical and mental abilities..

  • 52%

    Oral comprehension

    Listen to and understand what people say.

  • 48%

    Oral expression

    Communicate by speaking.

  • 43%

    Problem spotting

    Notice when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong, even if you can't solve the problem.

  • 43%

    Deductive reasoning

    Use general rules to find answers or solve problems logically.

  • 43%

    Inductive reasoning

    Use lots of detailed information to come up with answers or make general rules.

  • 43%

    Near vision

    See details that are up-close (within a few feet).

  • 43%

    Speech clarity

    Speak clearly so others can understand you.

  • 43%

    Speech recognition

    Identify and understand the speech of another person.

  • 43%

    Written comprehension

    Read and understand written information.

  • 41%

    Far vision

    See details that are far away.

  • 41%

    Sorting or ordering

    Order or arrange things in a pattern or sequence (e.g., numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).

  • 41%

    Written expression

    Write in a way that people can understand.

  • 37%

    Trunk strength

    Use your abdominal and lower back muscles a number of times without 'giving out' or fatiguing.

  • 37%

    Categorising

    Come up with different ways of grouping things.

  • 36%

    Selective attention

    Pay attention to something without being distracted.

  • 36%

    Arm-hand steadiness

    Keep your hand or arm steady.

  • 36%

    Static strength

    Lift, push, pull, or carry things.

  • 34%

    Finger dexterity

    Put together small parts with your fingers.

  • 32%

    Multilimb coordination

    Use your arms and/or legs at the same time while sitting, standing, or lying down.

  • 32%

    Stamina

    Exercise for a long time without getting winded or out of breath.


Activities

These are kinds of activities workers regularly do in this job.

  • 75%

    Helping and caring for others

    Providing personal assistance, medical attention, or emotional support.

  • 60%

    Building good relationships

    Building good working relationships and keeping them over time.

  • 59%

    Handling and moving objects

    Using hands and arms in handling, installing, positioning, moving and manipulating objects.

  • 57%

    Monitoring people, processes and things

    Checking objects, actions, or events, and keeping an eye out for problems.

  • 52%

    Communicating within a team

    Giving information to co-workers by telephone, in writing, or in person.

  • 52%

    Planning and prioritising work

    Deciding on goals and putting together a detailed plan to get the work done.

  • 51%

    Documenting or recording information

    Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.

  • 48%

    Doing physically active work

    Use your arms, legs and whole body, such as climbing, lifting, balancing, walking, stooping, and handling objects.

  • 47%

    Looking for changes over time

    Comparing objects, actions, or events. Looking for differences between them or changes over time.

  • 41%

    Making decisions and solving problems

    Using information to work out the best solution and solve problems.

  • 41%

    Researching and investigating

    Looking for, getting and understanding different kinds of information.

  • 41%

    Checking compliance with standards

    Deciding whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.

  • 38%

    Coordinating the work of a team

    Getting members of a group to work together to finish a task.

  • 37%

    Keeping your knowledge up-to-date

    Keeping up-to-date with technology and new ideas.

  • 37%

    Training and teaching others

    Understanding the needs of others, developing training programs, and teaching or instructing.

  • 35%

    Thinking creatively

    Using your own ideas for developing, designing, or creating something new.

  • 34%

    Assessing and evaluating things

    Working out the value, importance, or quality of things, services or people.

  • 33%

    Collecting and organising information

    Compiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or checking information or data.

  • 25%

    Checking for errors or defects

    Inspecting equipment, structures, or materials for errors, problems or defects.

  • 23%

    Explaining things to people

    Helping people to understand and use information.


Interests and demands

Learn about the daily activities, and physical and social demands faced by workers. Explore the values and work styles that workers rate as most important.

Interests

Interests are the style or type of work we prefer to do. All interest areas are shown below.

  • 100%

    Helping

    Working with people. Helping or providing service to others.

  • 76%

    Practical

    Practical, hands-on work. Often with plants and animals, or materials like wood, tools, and machinery.

  • 62%

    Administrative

    Following set procedures and routines. Working with numbers and details more than with ideas, usually following rules.

  • 33%

    Enterprising

    Starting up and carrying out projects. Leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes require risk taking and often deal with business.

  • 24%

    Analytical

    Ideas and thinking. Searching for facts and figuring out problems in your head.

  • 19%

    Creative

    Working with forms, designs and patterns. Often need self-expression and can be done without following rules.


Values

Work values are important to a person’s feeling of satisfaction. All six values are shown below.
  • 81%

    Relationships

    Serve and work with others. Workers usually get along well with each other, do things to help other people, and are rarely pressured to do things that go against their sense of right and wrong.

  • 57%

    Achievement

    Results oriented. Workers are able to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment.

  • 57%

    Support

    Supportive management that stands behind employees. Workers are treated fairly by their company, they are supported by management, and have supervisors who train them well.

  • 48%

    Independence

    Work alone and make decisions. Workers are able to try out their own ideas, make decisions on their own, and work with little or no supervision.

  • 43%

    Working conditions

    Job security and good working conditions. There is usually a steady flow of interesting work, and the pay and conditions are generally good.

  • 38%

    Recognition

    Advancement and the potential to lead. Workers are recognised for the work that they do, they may give directions and instructions to others, and they are looked up to in their company and their community.


Demands

The physical and social demands that workers face most often are shown below:
  • 89%

    Physically close to people

    Work physically close to other people.

  • 87%

    Contact with people

    Have contact with people by telephone, face-to-face, or any other way.

  • 84%

    Teamwork

    Work with people in a group or team.

  • 84%

    Being exact or accurate

    Be very exact or highly accurate.

  • 81%

    Face-to-face discussions

    Talk with people face-to-face.

  • 81%

    Spend time standing

    Spend time standing at work.

  • 80%

    Telephone

    Talk on the telephone.

  • 80%

    Unstructured work

    Have freedom to decide on tasks, priorities, and goals.

  • 80%

    Impact of decisions

    Make decisions that have a large impact on other people.

  • 77%

    Wear common protective or safety equipment

    Wear equipment like safety shoes, glasses, gloves, hard hats or life jackets.

  • 76%

    Frequent decision making

    Frequently make decisions that impact other people.

  • 75%

    Walking and running

    Spend time walking and running.

  • 74%

    Health and safety of others

    Take responsibility for the health and safety of others.

  • 73%

    Freedom to make decisions

    Have freedom to make decision on your own.

  • 72%

    Time pressure

    Work to strict deadlines.

  • 71%

    Lead or coordinate a team

    Lead others to do work activities.

  • 70%

    Bending or twisting your body

    Spend time bending or twisting your body.

  • 70%

    Disease or infection

    Be exposed to disease or infections.

  • 68%

    Consequence of error

    Work where mistakes have serious consequences.

  • 65%

    Letters and memos

    Write letters and memos.

Occupational Information Network
O*NET is a trademark of the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration.
The skills and importance ratings on this page are derived from the US Department of Labor O*NET Database Version 21.2, 39-9021.00 - Personal Care Aides.


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