Certificate III in Individual Support

This qualification reflects the role of workers in the community and/or residential setting who follow an individualised plan to provide person-centred support to people who may require support due to ageing, disability or some other reason. Work involves using discretion and judgement in relation to individual support as well as taking responsibility for own outputs. Workers have a range of factual, technical and procedural knowledge, as well as some theoretical knowledge of the concepts and practices required to provide person-centred support.

The learner will gain a wonderful hands-on learning experience covering all of the necessary aspects of being a successful worker in the Aged Care, Home and Community Care and disability sectors. You will enjoy a 120 work placement that is completely supported and set up by SWTAFE.

Warrnambool campus

• Courses starting: October 2024, February 2025 and July 2025.
• Duration: Full-time, 10 months. Two days a week plus placement. Additional days may be required for assessments.

Portland campus

• Courses starting: October 2024 and February 2025.
• Duration: Full-time, 10 months. Two days a week plus placement. Additional days may be required for assessments.

Hamilton campus

• Courses starting: October 2024 and February 2025.
• Duration: Full-time, 10 months. Two days a week plus placement. Additional days may be required for assessments.

Colac campus

• Courses starting: October 2024, February 2025 and July 2025.
• Duration: Full-time, 10 months. Two days a week plus placement. Additional days may be required for assessments.

Lyndoch Living, Warrnambool

• Courses starting: February 2025 and July 2025.
• Duration: Full-time, eight months. One day a week at the Warrnambool campus and two days a week at Lyndoch Living. 40 hours of placement are included in the course delivery.

• Personal Care Worker/Assistant
• Direct Care Worker
• Disability Support Worker
• Home Care Worker

Over the past 10 years jobs in Healthcare and Social Assistance have grown by 26% with Residential Care the biggest driver of growth, growing by 10%. By 2050 there will need to be 1.3m workers in the aged care sector. Locally we are seeing unprecedented growth in the industry with over 90% of our students gaining employment or going on to further study within a month of completing the course.

This course is a pathway to a number of other qualifications. Courses you may choose to continue study include:

• Certificate IV in Disability Support 
• Diploma of Nursing

The on-campus course includes 120 hours of work placement.

The Lyndoch Living course includes 40 hours of placement.

Pre-placement requirements

• You must be 18 years of age by the time of placement
• meet industry vaccination requirements
• Evidence of your COVID-19 and Influenza vaccination status
• A current police check is required prior to all students starting placement
• It is recommended that students have HLTAID003 Provide First Aid before the commencement of the placement
• Students may be required to obtain a Working with Children Check, depending on their placement organisation
• where necessary apply for the NDIS worker screening to undertake placement

Why don’t you come along to our next course info session to find out everything you need to start your learning journey? You can chat with our teachers, tour our facilities, learn more about the course, find out about the application process and get your questions answered by our course experts. 

Find the next info session near you

• you must be 18 years of age by the time of placement
• meet industry vaccination requirements
• undertake an interview with the teaching department after applying
• provide a current Working with Children Check
• obtain a police check
• where necessary apply for the NDIS worker screening to undertake placement

In accordance with Department of Health directives, all residential aged care workers must be vaccinated against COVID-19 as a condition of employment.  This includes volunteers and students on placement.  Therefore as part of the enrolment process for this course you must provide evidence of your COVID-19 and Influenza vaccination status.  South West TAFE will be required to retain a copy of this evidence on your student file.

To be eligible for this qualification you must successfully complete 13 units: 7 core and 6 elective.

Core Units

Elective Units

This course involves accredited units.  You will be required to complete assessment tasks to demonstrate your underpinning knowledge, skills and attributes to meet the course outcomes.  A combination of written, oral and practical assessment strategies will be used in either a classroom, online or workplace environment. 

Where units require demonstration of skills in a workplace environment, you will have the opportunity to do this either in your own workplace (where appropriate), through a practical placement, or by using one of the Institute's simulated workshops/classrooms.  Detailed information about the types, conduct and dates of assessments will be provided in advance.  You will also be provided with information about the opportunity for reassessment and appeal.

Once you have applied for your chosen course, you will receive a thank you email from South West TAFE with a few steps to help process your enrolment.

Complete a Pre-Training Review
You will receive an email to complete a Pre-Training Review online evaluation. This evaluation helps us tailor your training to suit your needs.

Create or provide a Unique Student Identifier (USI)
A USI is a nationally recognised reference number that provides an online record of your training qualifications gained in Australia.
Create your USI
Already have a USI but can’t remember it? Find your USI

Skills recognition
If you have experience or prior qualifications, you may be eligible to apply for recognition of prior learning and gain credits. You will be asked to provide any relevant Statement of Attainment to support identified credits.

Here's an outline of fees and costs associated with your course.

Your fees each year can be made up of 3 different elements.  Everyone has different circumstances that can affect what you pay and how much you pay. :

1. Tuition fees - charged as an hourly rate that varies from course to course. A large portion of the tuition is subsidised by the Victorian Government for eligible students.
2. Resource and/or materials costs - covers the cost of materials and other incidentals. This fee will vary according to the course being undertaken.
3. Booklist items - such as textbooks, equipment and stationery recommended for your course

Tuition fees

There are 4 different rates of tuition fees. Only one will apply to you (depending on your eligibility and circumstances). 

1. Government Subsidised Fee - you could be eligible for a government-subsidised rate under the Skills First funding depending on your age, educational history, and citizenship or residency status. If you are eligible, the government will contribute to the cost of your training.
   Find out more about subsidised training
   
   
2. Government Subsidised Concession Fee - If you are eligible for a Skills First government-subsidised place and hold a current healthcare or pension card, that you can provide at enrolment, you may be eligible for the concession rate. Note, the concession rate is not applicable to Diploma level courses.
   Find out more about concession rates
   
   
3. If the course is a Free TAFE course or part of the Free TAFE Pathways Program - Eligible students will not pay course tuition fees for the duration of their enrolment in this course, however, there may be some consumable/material fees for the course (find out more below). Any resource or material costs, or booklist items for this course are listed in the table below.
   Find out more about Free TAFE
   Find out more about Free TAFE Pathways Programs
   
   
4. Full fee - If you are not eligible for a Skills First government-subsidised place, exemption, concession or are enrolling in a course that isn't government-subsidised, you may be required to pay the full fee rate.

FIND OUT MORE ABOUT FEES AND ELIGIBILITY

The fees listed below are indicative only. The course fees published are subject to change given individual circumstances at enrolment. Course fee funding is made available to eligible individuals by the Victorian and Commonwealth Governments. If funding is utilised, this may affect opportunities to access additional funding in the future. An accurate quote for this course will be provided during the enrolment process.

Some courses require specific resources or materials necessary for your study eg: tools of the trade, excursions, etc. Final costs will be determined upon enrolment.

Once we have processed your enrolment form, you will receive an email with your invoice.

You have three options when organising your payment:

1. Upfront payment - can be made over the phone with EFTPOS

2. Payment plan - can be directly debited from your bank account, debited from your Centrelink payments or via a VET Student Loan (for diploma or advanced diploma courses only)

3. Paid by employer, school or job network agency - if your fees are being paid by your employer, school or job network agency, you will need to complete an Authority to Invoice form.

Payments will need to be arranged within five(5) business days of receiving the email containing your invoice.

We also offer a range of scholarships each year which you may be eligible to apply for to assist with course fees.

There are five simple steps to apply for a course with us.

1. Apply - complete a short online application form. Once this form is submitted we'll send you a thank-you email.
2. Literacy and Numeracy Assessment - we will assess whether you need to undertake a Language, Literacy and Numeracy (LLN) assessment and email it to you if required.
   If you are not required to undertake this assessment, you will skip to step 3.
3. Chat to our team - your teacher or course specialist will contact you to discuss the course in more detail and ensure the right units of study are selected for you.
4. Enrol – you will be sent an email to accept your offer for the course. By accepting, you will be directed to verify your details and submit your enrolment for processing.
5. Pay - once we’ve completed your enrolment, we will send you an invoice to arrange payment of your course fees.

If you need any assistance with applying, contact our team on 1300 648 911 or visit your nearest campus.

Not sure which course is right for you? South West TAFE will help you find your way.

Our Careers Coaches at the Skills and Jobs Centre is here to support you. Whether you’re exploring career options, transitioning from school to the workforce or looking to study after school we’re here to help you.

As a SWTAFE student, you can access a variety of support services that will enhance your study experience and help you complete your studies successfully. For more information about any of these services, visit our student page.