If you’re looking for a career choice or a career change, have you considered a career in community services work? Or maybe you’re already looking into it and are wondering what the advantages are of following this career path.
In this article, we’ll take a closer look at community services careers in Australia, why it might be a good choice for you, as well as options for getting the training and qualifications you need to embark on a community services career.
Community Services Careers – What Are They?
Community services actually encompass many different career paths, so there is a lot of variety when you venture into this industry. As a community services professional, no matter what capacity you’re working in, you’ll basically be helping people in one form or another.
Some jobs in community services are unpaid, volunteer roles, but there are loads of paid positions as well, so it can offer lucrative job prospects.
#1 – There a Many Different Career Paths To Follow
Community services encompass so many job roles, roles that are diverse, interesting and offer variety. Any role that benefits people or the community could be considered a community services job.
Some examples of careers in community services in Australia include:
- A caseworker
- Becoming a counsellor
- Working in child protection services
- Aged care
- And many more career options…
#2 – Community Services Roles Can Pay Very Well
Because some community services roles are volunteer work only, one might erroneously assume that careers in community services don’t pay very well. Of course, this will largely depend on the job position what you’ll be paid, but many community services careers are actually quite lucrative.
If you have the necessary qualifications, skills and experience, some roles in community services can offer you a very comfortable lifestyle indeed.
Just go online and do some research into salaries for various community services roles to get an idea of what’s on offer.
#3 – You’ll Experience Job Satisfaction
Having a job that bores you, is monotonous or unfulfilling can really drain the life out of a person. After all, we spend so many hours at work.
The really cool thing about the majority of community services positions is they offer job satisfaction in some form. When your role is predominantly about helping your community or people in general, you’ll always derive some satisfaction from the position.
Experience a real sense of accomplishment every day you’re on the job, knowing that your part is helping to improve the quality of life of others. Being a people-focused industry, each and every day will be filled with variety and developing personal relationships in many instances.
#4 – You Can Change Job Roles
Some community services roles are interchangeable, meaning you can go from one position to another without needing to receive further training.
In other instances, to change roles will require additional study and certifications to land the new role you seek.
The point is though, there are so many varied roles in the community services industry, that a career in this field offers an incredible amount of variety. If your passion is to help people, then virtually any role in this field will achieve that goal.
#5 – Experience Flexibility In the Workplace
We’ve already established that the roles in community services are many and varied. Another thing that can vary is the work hours. Some roles rotate on a 24/7 basis, and for this reason, choosing or changing your hours of work can prove to be very flexible.
If you prefer night shift one week and day shift suits you better the next, you may have the option to switch. Alternatively, if you need a particular day off when a job position is 24/7, there’s a lot more scope for changing the roster around to suit everyone’s lifestyle and personal requirements.
Get Started With the Right Training
One of the very first steps to finding a career in community services is to get some basic training and certification. A common starting point is obtaining a Cert 3 in Community Services. This will get your foot in the door and you can pursue further education and qualifications if necessary.
For further information, go online and do some research on job opportunities and what qualifications are required for various roles.
