Overview
The healthcare and the community services sectors are two of Australia’s largest and fastest growing areas. Within these industries are a multitude of different jobs and opportunities – but if you’re looking to begin a career in either of these areas, where do you start?
The Introduction to Healthcare and Community Services short course has been specifically designed to help give you a basic yet thorough overview of these sectors. Throughout this online course you’ll learn about the factors influencing these sectors right now in Australia, and what your future potential career path could look like. You’ll also learn about industry terminology, which may come in handy when you first begin applying for jobs.
Upon purchasing this course, you’ll be eligible for a $199 discount to use towards one of our selected accredited courses. So, if you're liking what you're learning, and wish to continue studying your chosen field, enrol today in one of our accredited courses, and enjoy the $199 discount on us.(Please see the FAQ section for more information, terms and conditions apply)
Get started today and learn about two of Australia’s largest and most important sectors.
What you’ll learn
In this course you’ll learn about:
- in-demand career pathways with these two sectors and how to access them;
- key factors influencing employment growth in both the community service and health care sectors; and
- some of the models, terminology and frameworks in common use across both sectors.
Benefits to you
On successfully completing this course, you’ll:
- have a holistic view of the healthcare and community services sectors;
- be able to explain the importance of understanding client diversity and identify strategies for effective client communication; and
- have a grasp of basic industry terminology.
Complete at your pace
The Introduction to Healthcare and Community Services short course can be completed at your own pace. This is an online course, which means you can study whenever and wherever it’s most convenient for you.
Overview
The healthcare and the community services sectors are two of Australia’s largest and fastest growing areas. Within these industries are a multitude of different jobs and opportunities – but if you’re looking to begin a career in either of these areas, where do you start?
The Introduction to Healthcare and Community Services short course has been specifically designed to help give you a basic yet thorough overview of these sectors. Throughout this online course you’ll learn about the factors influencing these sectors right now in Australia, and what your future potential career path could look like. You’ll also learn about industry terminology, which may come in handy when you first begin applying for jobs.
Upon purchasing this course, you’ll be eligible for a $199 discount to use towards one of our selected accredited courses. So, if you're liking what you're learning, and wish to continue studying your chosen field, enrol today in one of our accredited courses, and enjoy the $199 discount on us.(Please see the FAQ section for more information, terms and conditions apply)
Get started today and learn about two of Australia’s largest and most important sectors.
What you’ll learn
In this course you’ll learn about:
- in-demand career pathways with these two sectors and how to access them;
- key factors influencing employment growth in both the community service and health care sectors; and
- some of the models, terminology and frameworks in common use across both sectors.
Benefits to you
On successfully completing this course, you’ll:
- have a holistic view of the healthcare and community services sectors;
- be able to explain the importance of understanding client diversity and identify strategies for effective client communication; and
- have a grasp of basic industry terminology.
Complete at your pace
The Introduction to Healthcare and Community Services short course can be completed at your own pace. This is an online course, which means you can study whenever and wherever it’s most convenient for you.
Who's this for?
Have you been considering a career in healthcare or community services but aren’t sure where to start? The Introduction to Healthcare and Community Services short course is right for you.
This short course will take you through the different career pathways available, providing you with a thorough introduction to both sectors. This will provide you with you a clear sense of direction for your future career path based on your interests and career goals.
You’ll also learn foundational knowledge about industry practices and terminology.
This course is ideal for:
This course also addresses some common issues, such as:
-
the lack of holistic view about job roles in these industries – The focus of a lot of information in the healthcare and community services industries is on very specific areas of expertise, rather than a snapshot of various job roles. This course has been designed to give you better, clearer direction;
-
career path indecisiveness – Which career path is right for me? This course can help provide you with information in order to make an informed decision about your future;
-
further study – Should I undertake further study in this area? Without knowing more about the industries and what career path you want to pursue, it can be hard to make a decision about taking on further study. But the more relevant information you have, the easier it will be for you to choose the right course to help you reach your goals.
Course Content
| SH1006-1 |
The growing demand for healthcare and community services |
In this first module of the course you’ll cover the basics of the healthcare and community services industries. This module provides an overview of the healthcare and community service sectors in Australia and highlights the future job outlook in both these sectors.
Learning content
- Overview of healthcare and community services in Australia
- In-demand career pathways
- Factors influencing the health and wellbeing of individuals
Learning activities
Topic takeaways and tools
- Gain insight into the healthcare and community services sectors
- Find out what careers are in demand right now in Australia
- Consider different issues that affect demographics
| SH1006-2 |
Healthcare services |
The healthcare sector is wide and varied, encompassing many different areas of specialisation. To help you better understand this massive industry and the different types of career pathways available to you, this module introduces you to several in-demand career options you could consider.
Learning content
- Allied health
- Counselling and massage therapy
- Nursing
- Mental health, alcohol and drugs
Learning activities
- Module 2 self-check knowledge quiz
- Snapshot from practice
- Activity – fill in the blanks
- Activity – multiple-choice question
Topic takeaways and tools
- Overview of the healthcare sector
- Career pathways within health services
| SH1006-3 |
Aged care and disability support |
This module will provide you with an overview of the roles and responsibilities of a care worker within the specific areas of disability support, leisure and health, and aged care services.
Providing high quality care and support should always be your first priority when working in any kind of person-centric care role. This module will also touch on the most up-to-date approaches to providing excellent care.
Learning content
- Overview of disability and aged care support
- Person-centred practice
- Leisure and health services
- Models relating to leisure and health services
Learning activities
- Module 3 self-check knowledge quiz
- Snapshot from practice
Topic takeaways and tools
- Best practice for care services
- Specific roles within the healthcare industry
| SH1006-4 |
Community services |
Just like health services, there are many different areas you could choose to work in within community services. The scope of these different areas means that you’ll have the opportunity to find your true calling within the sector and find a niche you’re truly passionate about.
In this module, you’ll be introduced to a number of in-demand pathway options in the community services sector. This will help you get an idea of the type of work you might like to pursue.
Learning content
- The community services industry in Australia
- Youth support services
- Personal care services
Learning activities
- Module 4 self-check knowledge quiz
- Snapshot from practice
- Activity – Discussion
Topic takeaways and tools
- Overview of the community services sector
- Career pathways within community services
| SH1006-5 |
Communicating effectively with clients |
All industries have their own specific terminology and jargon, and the healthcare and community services sectors are no different.
This module introduces you to industry-specific language, so you have an understanding of terminology used in job listings and in the workplace. It will also give you the opportunity to explore some commonly used strategies to communicate effectively with clients that have diverse needs.
Learning content
- The importance of effective communication
- Basic medical terminology and jargon
- Communication skills to support client diversity
Learning activities
- Module 5 self-check knowledge quiz
- Activity – Matching Activity
- Activity – Discussion
Topic takeaways and tools
- Get familiar with industry terminology
- Understand the wide variety of needs people require assistance with
- Effective communication skills
Final assessment: multiple choice quiz consisting of 10 questions covering content from modules 1-5.
How it works
Upon enrolling and paying the one-time fee, within minutes you’ll be granted access to OpenSpace, our world-class learning platform. To find out more about your online campus, you can watch this short video on OpenSpace:
This course consists of:
1. INTERACTIVE CONTENT that will help you further your knowledge with activities, resources and articles.
2. QUIZZES to test the progress of your knowledge.
FAQs
Here's some answers to the most commonly asked questions around this course.
Open Colleges short courses are learning assets created by Open Colleges which you can utilise to gain skills to fast-track your workplace success and grow your career. When you purchase a short course you get access to the learning assets within that short course. Assets include, but are not limited to, short video courses, audio versions and transcripts, as well as customised learning activities and resources which can be accessed via desktop and mobile devices.
The discount will be applied after you enrol into the eligible accredited course and complete the 7 day cooling off period. If you've already paid your accredited course fees in full, the discount will be refunded to the payment source (please allow up to 45 days). If you're paying by instalments, the total accredited course fee balance will be adjusted. We will apply the the $199 discount after you've enrolled.
Please note, the discount is not transferable, cannot be applied to any other course and cannot be redeemed for cash. Eligible accredited courses and the discount amount are subject to change. The discount expires 60 days after you pay the full purchase price of this short course. The discount is not extended if you extend your enrolment in this short course. The discount does not apply to any other short course or accredited course. The discount does not apply to any subsequent enrolment which attracts government subsidy or funding, including VET Student Loans. You do not need to complete this short course to be eligible for the discount.
Unfortunately we do not facilitate the purchase of this short course over the phone. All enrollments for this course are conducted online.
There are learning activities and self-check quizzes spread across the course. They are designed to test your understanding of what you’ve read, seen and practiced. You may attempt a quiz at any time you are ready. They're not assessed and you do not need to submit them for marking as they are auto-marked. Your results and feedback will appear immediately after completing the quiz.
Yes, you'll receive an Open Colleges certificate of completion for your short course. Our short courses are custom designed to fast-track your workplace success and grow your career. As such, you'll not receive a qualification for completing a short course. If you’re interested in going on to study a recognised qualification, Open Colleges offers a wide range of nationally-recognised qualifications linked to this short course for which you can receive a discount of $199.
See ‘How do I use the discount from this course?’ for more information.
Once you’ve purchased a short course, you’ll receive an email containing login information and simple instructions on how to get started and access your content within our OpenSpace learning platform. If you have not received an email please check your spam or junk folders within your email program.
Although we have made every effort to make our OpenSpace learning platform as simple to use as possible, you can access support via the platform's menu after logging in. Here you can ask technical questions relating to navigating content or getting around the platform.
Open Colleges does not offer support on the short course content from a tutoring/knowledge perspective.
We recommend taking the short course in order. This gives you an introduction and overview of the course, with each module or topic acting like a building block to prepare you for the next.
You'll need to complete any knowedge-check quizzes that usually appear at the end of a module or topic, in order to receive your certificate of completion. Each quiz usually takes around 15 minutes to complete.
We do not offer payment plans or government funding for this course.
The course price displayed includes GST and must be paid in full. No discounts apply.
Prices for our short courses are based on the breadth and depth of content assets contained within each course. As not all short courses contain the same amount or type of customised content, we have priced them appropriately to offer the best value for money.
Short courses are not refundable, subject to your rights under Australian Consumer Law. We encourage you to read the Terms and Conditions and to browse our short course program overview to make an informed decision regarding purchasing a short course.
Our short courses are self-paced which means you have the flexibility to choose how, when and how quickly you want to study.
However, our short courses have a maximum duration of 3 months, so you'll need to finish your course within that time frame.
Your short course expiry date is based on the maximum duration of the course and your date of enrolment. Your course expiry date is 3 months from enrolment, which is the date you purchase the short course.
No, there is no cooling off period.
Subject to your rights under Australian Consumer Law, once you have purchased this short course you are unable to cancel. This course is non-refundable.
Nothing further is required except access to a printer to print your PDFs from the available resources section if desired.
Subject to your rights under Australian consumer law, this course cannot be cancelled. However, you can extend it for up to one month. We may charge fees if you request an extension to the term of the short course. These fees are intended to cover our reasonable administrative costs and reflect the nature of short courses. In certain circumstances we may waive the fee for granting an extension.
These fees are:
• $50 for a one-month extension
You must be at least 18 years of age and reside in Australia to be eligible to purchase a short course.
You can find our Terms and Conditions here. Our Privacy Policy can also be viewed here as this details how we use and handle your personal information. Note: we do not store your credit card details.
Our short courses are ideally accessed with a fast-broadband connection to enjoy a smooth learning experience. Assets can also be viewed over your mobile 4G connection with our iPhone or Android mobile application.
All Open Colleges courses include the following minimum computer and audio-visual requirements.
You’ll need the following:
- Microsoft Office 2010 or equivalent
- Broadband internet connection
- 2GB of RAM
- Adobe Reader XI or equivalent
- Printer and associated software
- Digital imaging software
- File compression software
For Windows users:
- Microsoft Windows 7 or higher (Windows 8 recommended)
- 1 Ghz or faster processer (2GHz recommended)
- Adobe Flash Player 10 or higher
For Mac OS users:
- Mac OSX v10.5 or higher (Mac OSX v10.6 recommended)
- 1 Ghz or faster processer (2GHz recommended)
- Adobe Flash Player 10 or higher
Audio-visual requirements:
All learners will need access to software such as Adobe Reader, Windows Media Player, Windows Photo Viewer etc. to view online videos and images. The software mentioned is available as a free download from the internet.
Upon completing each module, you can complete a knowledge check to test your knowledge. These knowledge checks are not graded.
However, there is an assessment at the end of Module 5 which consists of multiple-choice questions. You will need to pass this assessment quiz in order to successfully complete the short course. Your results and feedback will appear immediately after completing the assessment.
What are Open Colleges short courses?
