Craig Shepherd

To make your application stand out, clearly list your qualifications and experience, paying special attention to your dates of employment. Keep cover letters brief, and ensure your resume is regularly updated on job platforms like Seek. Referrals from current workers in aged care can also help boost your chances.

To start work in aged care, the minimum qualification required is a Certificate III in Individual Support (Ageing) or similar, such as a Certificate III in Health Services Assistance. This level of training can qualify you to become an Assistant in Nursing (AIN) or Personal Care Worker (PCW). For registered nurses (RNs), AHPRA registration and evidence of a bachelor's degree are required. Additional qualifications in areas like dementia care, palliative care, and medication administration can make candidates more competitive.

To become an Enrolled Nurse (EN), you must complete a Diploma of Nursing, which typically takes two years at a registered training organisation. After completing the diploma, you must register with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA).

To become a Registered Nurse (RN), you must complete a Bachelor of Nursing, a three-year degree program at a university. Upon graduation, you also need to register with AHPRA.

Yes, Enrolled Nurses can advance their careers by undertaking further education. Many universities offer pathways for ENs to complete a Bachelor of Nursing, taking into account their prior learning and experience, which may reduce the duration of the degree. EN’s still need to complete the Bachelor of Nursing, but their Diploma studies may be recognised, reducing the length of training.

Practical experience is crucial in nursing, and employers love meeting nursing graduates who have already shown a commitment to gaining additional practical experience. While clinical placements are part of your study, there are other ways to gain practical skills, including:

• Clinical placements: Mandatory placements during your studies.
• Hop shifts: Working as an Assistant in Nursing (AIN) or Personal Care Worker (PCW) while studying.
• Volunteering: Giving your time to community health initiatives or volunteering at healthcare facilities.

Employers highly value candidates with hands-on experience in addition to their qualifications.

To become a Clinical Facilitator in Australia, you must meet several requirements:

• Registered Nurse (RN): You need to be a Registered Nurse with a valid registration from the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA).
• Clinical Experience: Most universities require at least five years of recent nursing experience to ensure you have up-to-date practical knowledge to share with students.
• Clinical Facilitation Essential Skills and Principles Course: Completion of this course is now a government requirement. It gives Clinical Facilitators the necessary skills to perform the key functions of their role.

If you're looking to start a career in Human-Centred Design, getting a formal education in design is a great first step. Degrees or diplomas in areas like Graphic Design, Digital Design, or a Bachelor of Arts and Design will give you a solid grounding in the core principles of design. While there isn't a specific 'HCD Degree,' many design training programs include Human-Centred Design concepts in the curriculum.

According to Karen, having formal design training is key to specialising in HCD. A strong educational background provides the essential foundation needed to truly excel in this field. Bootcamp courses in HCD are useful if you have a good understanding of design, but they should never serve as your only training for design roles.

If you want to stand out and land your dream job in HCD, you need to present your skills well. Our expert Karen told us to use plenty of white space on your resume, and keep it clean and well-organised. Highlighting key skills, abilities and experience in a concise way is always the best approach. Don’t forget about soft skills, such as communication and personability. A human-centred designer must interpret client needs, and being a people-person certainly helps.

In terms of training and qualifications, those with a background in design are always desirable. Having a formal education in design gives you the fundamentals required for these roles. If you don’t have the formal qualifications, you’ll need to showcase your understanding of design principles in a different way, perhaps by highlighting relevant industry experience and projects.

AI isn’t likely to negatively impact careers in Human-Centred Design, at least not in the near future. Karen believes that while AI can improve certain aspects of the design process, such as improving software tools, it can’t replace the human skills of creativity, empathy, and understanding user needs. The ability to interpret the needs of other humans is a job best left to humans, especially when considering design is a very user-centric field. As a result, skilled HCD experts will continue to be in demand, with AI likely enhancing the role, not replacing it.