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How to become a community worker in Australia

Community Workers facilitate community development initiatives and collective solutions within a community to address issues, needs and problems associated with recreational, health, housing, employment and other welfare matters.

$1,844median full-time pay a week, before tax
+11.9%projected job growth to 2035
28,400people in this job

Pay and growth are for the wider welfare support workers group, which is as fine as the data goes. The all-jobs median is $1,852 a week. Jobs in the welfare support workers group are projected to grow 11.9% between May 2025 and May 2035, slower than the 13.3% projected for all jobs. Projections are indicative, not forecasts, and JSA says they don't yet reflect generative AI.

What the job involves

  • Assesses community needs and resources for health, welfare, housing, employment, training and other facilities and services.
  • Liaises with community groups, welfare agencies, government bodies and private businesses about community issues and promotes awareness of community resources and services.

How to get there

What it usually takes. A diploma or advanced diploma. This is the skill level Jobs and Skills Australia gives the welfare support workers group, and some roles differ.

What people in the job have. Highest qualification held: 39% a degree or higher, 24% a diploma, 20% a Certificate III or IV.

Many jobs also need registration, a licence or a specific accredited course. Check the professional body or regulator before you choose.

Courses that can lead here

Victoria4 matches

VTAC lowest selection ranks, December 2025 offer round.

Community Development (Foundation/Degree Pathway) · VU, CityNo cutoff

Diplomas and other ways in

Community Services (Degree) · Box Hill Institute, Box Hill - ElgarNo cutoff
Community Services (Bachelor) · Torrens, Flinders StreetNo cutoff

Showing 3 of 4 matches. Search every course.

NSW and ACT1 match

UAC lowest selection ranks, December Round 2, 2025-26 admissions.

Diplomas and other ways in

Bachelor of Community Services · TorrensNo cutoff
Queensland6 matches

QTAC course pages, ATAR/Selection Rank profile for semester 1, 2026.

Undergraduate Certificate in Community Services · UniSC, Sunshine CoastNo cutoff

Diplomas and other ways in

Diploma of Community Services · TAFE Queensland, OnlineNo cutoff

Showing 2 of 6 matches. Search every course.

Western Australia1 match

TISC Course Search: lowest ATAR offered for 2026 entry and guaranteed offer ATARs.

Bachelor of Arts in Community Development · Murdoch, Perth60.00

Matched on course names, 12 across four admissions centres. A lowest selection rank includes adjustment points and moves every year. Check prerequisites and whether the course is accredited for this job.

Graduate outcomes, national

Social work79.6% in full-time work$85,300 median full-time salary

Undergraduates surveyed about four to six months after finishing, in 2025, across all providers. Full-time work is among those available for it. All graduates: 75.4% and $77,000. These are national figures for the study area, not for this course or uni, and a first-year salary says little about later pay. Source: QILT Graduate Outcomes Survey 2025.

Does it fit your interests?

Strongest interest areas for this kind of work: Social, Conventional, Enterprising.

Realistic
Investigative
Artistic
Social
Enterprising
Conventional

From O*NET ratings for "Social and Human Service Assistants", the closest US occupation in JSA's correspondence (a acceptable match). US ratings are a guide to Australian jobs, not a measurement of them.

Careers with similar interests

Teacher aide$1,342 Social worker$2,172 Youth worker$1,844 University lecturer$2,924 Secondary school teacher$2,322

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Job data: © Commonwealth of Australia, Jobs and Skills Australia occupation profiles, February 2026 and Employment Projections, May 2025 to May 2035 (Victoria University), CC BY 4.0. Jobs and Skills Australia, ANZSCO 2013 Version 1.2 to O*NET-SOC 2019 Taxonomy correspondence.

Graduate outcomes: QILT Graduate Outcomes Survey 2025, National Report Tables (Social Research Centre, for the Australian Government).

This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. Curve ATAR has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.

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