Click here to download the Units of Competency for this course.

The learner group for this qualification are people wishing to gain a qualification in order to work as a support worker in aged care, home and community care. The learner group are those who require a structured, classroom based program with significant practical experience.

This is an entry level course and no previous skills or experience are necessary. The course is also suitable for learners who have professional qualifications in health or community services and are seeking a qualification that will give them practical skills to work in aged care sectors.

International students must:

• Be at least 18 years of age,
• Provide evidence of completing at least the equivalent of Australian Year 10,
• Successfully complete the Language, Literacy and Numeracy (LLN) online test as per ALG’s Language, Literacy and Numeracy Requirements Factsheet,
• Meet English Language Entry Requirements as per ALG’s English Proficiency Requirements Factsheet

A prospective student does not need to provide evidence of an English test score with their application if one of the following applies:

• Prospective student is a citizen and holds a passport from UK, USA, Canada, NZ or Republic of Ireland.
• Prospective student has completed at least 5 years’ study in English in one or more of the following countries: Australia, UK, USA, Canada, New Zealand, South Africa, or the Republic of Ireland.
• Completed at least 6 months of a Certificate IV level course in an Australian RTO.

Please also note that if you are applying for more than one course with us, you will only need to complete the LLN online test once. Students returning to studies at ALG after a significant gap may be required to complete the LLN online test at the discretion of ALG.

This program is timetabled for 900 hours over a course duration of 39 weeks. This time is divided into both training (on campus and self-paced) and assessment. Students will be required to attend the campus for 140 hours per term and engage in self-paced study of 60 hours per term.
The amount of training component is estimated at 83% of the students’ overall learning (750 hours) and the remaining 17% (150 hours) is attributed to assessment. If required, students have the option to further extend their training hours with additional catch-up classes, study groups, and resits as published in the timetable.

The volume of learning refers to the total amount of time that a student would be expected to dedicate to the successful completion of the course. It includes the structured part of the course as defined above, as well as the self-study, research, and practicing of skills that a student would do in their own time. The total Volume of Learning is estimated at 900 hours (600 structured hours and 300 unstructured). Some students may find that they need more study time and others will find that they can achieve the required level of knowledge and skills in less time than this estimate.

Training and Assessment

Your classroom learning will take place in a dedicated simulation lab. This means your classroom will have similar equipment as a ‘simulated hospital ward’ including beds, hydraulic lifters, aged care manikins, shower chairs, commodes, wheelchairs, general purpose client care equipment.

In your classes you can expect to be undertaking personal care, practicing infection control, and using a range of industry operating models such as creating individualised plans to simulate learning activities that you will then put into practice in the workplace.

In addition, you will be required to undertake self-paced learning and submit a written assessment kit online. A number of practical and skills based assessments will be undertaken in class.
A first aid course is also part of this qualification.

Assessment Methods

• Written Knowledge Assessments
• Case Studies
• Presentations
• Role Play – Simulated Workplace Situation
• Projects
• Practical Demonstrations

Work Placement

A 150 hour work placement will be undertaken in your last term of study. In this work placement you will be learning and practicing the skills you will be able to use in your own workplace. In order to successfully complete this component of your study, you will have to have a successful supervisor report, work place visit from a trainer and assessor and also submit a competent work placement log book.

For the purposes of work placement, students need to be aware that some centres may be open between 6:00am to 10:00pm, and students may be required to complete early or late shifts.

Training Locations

Your training will occur on campus and within the workplace. The work placement can be arranged by the College, or you may be able to nominate your own workplace (subject to approval). If the College is arranging your work placement, we will endeavour to find a workplace which is close to your campus (subject to availability).

Campus Locations

Please refer to course timetable for the campus locations.

Student Support

The primary learning support comes from Student Services or the training and assessment team.

Student Advisors offer support throughout a learner’s studies and can help with the following information:

• Support services
• LLN services (in collaboration with the Training and Assessment team)
• Legal services
• Emergency and health services
• Facilities and resources
• Complaints and appeals processes
• Deferments

Additional sources of student services information available includes:

• Student Services Booklet
• ALG Student Handbook
• Online Student Centres – found on our websites
• Plus a variety of individual factsheets, flyers or electronic messages

• All students are required to bring their own laptop or tablet device to participate in all theory classes. They are not provided for students. Refer to the BYOD Policy in the student handbook.
• All students will need to provide a clear and current national police check prior to the start of any work placement. Students need to apply at least 6 weeks prior to undertaking a work placement. The costs for a national police check is the responsibility of the student and not included in course fees.
• Uniform: ALG provides learners on work placement with 2 polo shirts. Whilst on work placement students are required to provide at their cost, and wear, navy or black slacks/ trousers/skirt and enclosed flat soled shoes (not sports runners).
• To maximise the chance of a student successfully completing their training, ALG attempts to identify any support individual learners need prior to their enrollment or commencement. Some of the ways to identify learning needs is to ask all prospective students to self-assess. So prior to enrolling please ensure i) you can meet all course requirements (listed in this course overview) ii) you nominate any learning needs they have prior to enrollment either by contacting us or on your application/enrolment forms  and iii) consider booking a trial lesson if you have any doubts the course may not be suitable for you from an educational, cultural or other reason. Please refer to Section A3 of the student handbook for details.

Click here to download the Timetable for this course.