A Personal Care Assistant plays a vital role in the well-being and welfare of older people. They do so in a variety of care settings, such as residential aged care, in-home care, assisted living facilities, and hospitals.

Here are the core daily tasks and responsibilities required for a PCA job:

• Assisting with personal hygiene: You’ll be helping to bathe, groom, and dress the older people you care for. This important daily contact can have a valuable, positive impact on their mental and physical health.
• Helping with mobility: PCAs will train in mobility and patient transfers. This can include moving older people from a bed to a wheelchair, or helping patients move from one healthcare facility to another.
• Supporting daily activities: Essential daily activities required for a PCA role include assisting patients with their meals, maintaining social engagement with them, and also providing help with light housekeeping duties.
• Administering medications: Sometimes a PCA job will require you to help administer treatments. This should only be done with the right training and always under supervision from a senior medical practitioner such as a Registered Nurse.
• Providing companionship and emotional support: Sometimes simply sitting and chatting with patients and offering a friendly face and companionship is all that’s required. It’s a great job if you’re a people person who enjoys the company of older people.

Let’s take some time to consider the PCA job requirements, qualifications, and skills you’ll need to succeed in this brilliantly rewarding role.

• Soft skills: A PCA must show empathy and patience when dealing with older people. You should also be able to adapt to a variety of communication techniques, such as switching from speaking to patients to other healthcare practitioners. You’ll need to demonstrate attention to detail such as remembering how a patient likes to be addressed, or what their grooming routine is.
• Technical skills: You’ll need the requisite PCA qualifications. Alongside this, there will be knowledge of basic healthcare practices, and manual handling techniques.

Certifications and PCA courses required for a Personal Care job
Whilst there are no minimum standard qualifications for entry-level care workers, all organisations require that PCAs have the following certificate:

• Certificate III in Individual Support (Aged Care)

You may also want to think about attaining:

• Certificate IV in Disability

Some essential screening checks must be undertaken before you can work as a PCA.

For instance, you’ll need a Police Check. These are a mandatory requirement. It’s also a good idea to have an up-to-date First Aid Certificate, too.

Lastly, if you’re training to become a PCA and you’re from overseas, you must have the right to live and work in Australia.

We’ll now take a look at the PCA salary in Australia.

Working in Aged Care at any level will offer different earning opportunities. There are differences depending on where in the country you choose to settle and work.

• Hourly salary range for PCAs: The latest data shows that you can earn between AUD 24–30 per hour.
• Factors influencing salary: What you earn will depend on your location, experience, qualifications, and whether you’re employed full-time, part-time, or casually.

Comparison of PCA wages across Australian states

Here’s a comparison of annual PCA salaries between three Australian states.

• Victoria: Between AUD 55-65,000 per annum
• New South Wales: Between AUD 55-70,000 per annum
• Queensland: Between AUD 63-78,000 per annum

Benefits and additional perks: There are a host of benefits to working in a PCA role. These can include factors such as shift loading and weekend pay. You’ll also have job stability, as there will always be sectors of society that need help and care.

Once you’re in a rewarding role like this, what are the opportunities for future growth and career development?

There are entry-level opportunities in aged care for those with no prior experience.

Once qualified and with a little job experience, you can begin a career in a PCA role with the following paths for career profession.
Potential career progression for a PCA job

Once in post, there are opportunities for training and upskilling too. You can do any of the following:

• Gain your Certificate IV in Ageing Support
• Begin nursing studies
• Attaining other healthcare qualifications such as elder mental health or dementia care.

You may want to move into other roles having worked in a PCA job. There are options to move into administrative, training, or supervisory roles within aged care. All of these will benefit from having an initial grounding in PCA training.

As of 2024, just under 15% of the Australian population is made up of people aged 65 and over. Over the next few years, this is expected to increase.

With this comes the rising demand for aged care workers who can provide a superior level of support to an ageing cohort.

There are various government initiatives in place and funding for aged care workforce development over the next few years with the introduction of the New Aged Care Act.

Moving into this sector provides you with real job security. There is growth potential for anyone coming into the healthcare profession at this level. You can choose to stay in a PCA role or gravitate towards nursing care.

The way healthcare is delivered is also changing at pace. We’re now utilising technology more than ever to deliver targeted, direct services to patients in their own homes. This means they can age in place safely if they wish.

The advent of consumer-directed care models also means that older people have more of a say in how they would like to be cared for. PCAs can therefore work in patient’s homes or within care and hospital facilities.

Here’s a summary on how you can get started on the career path to becoming a PCA in Australia.

• Enrol in relevant training courses
• Obtain certifications and qualifications
• Apply for the correct police screening checks
• Gain practical experience with internships or volunteer opportunities
• Apply for PCA roles via job boards or through aged care providers.

If you’re newly qualified there are fabulous resources you can look at to find the correct PCA job role for you.

Take a look at SEEK for help and advice on job searches. Or register with Hopstep to find your perfect match.

Looking for some sage advice and pointers on finding the best Aged Care Services? Head over to look at My Aged Care who can offer their expertise.

The benefits working as a PCA can bring are many. You’ll enjoy rewarding, meaningful work, there’s job stability, and always opportunities for career growth and development as you gain experience.

Why not consider exploring aged care as a rewarding career option? You can find more information on finding a job as a healthcare professional in Australia via the Government’s website.

When you’re ready to start your role in healthcare, we’re with you every Hopstep of the way. See how we can assist.