Australian Education Pathways

Special Care Workers

VET / TAFE Moderate growth · ANZSCO skill level 3 · occupation 4234

Special Care Workers provide care and supervision for children and young people in residential and institutional facilities, and provide care and support to people in refuges.

People employed3,500
Median pay$1,708per week, full-time
Projected growth+7.9%over 5 years (to 2030)
Recent growth-8.6%per year
Median age30
Female share79%

How do you get there?

Highest qualification held by people in this job: 28% university · 40.7% vet / tafe · 28.1% school / entry (ABS Census via JSA).

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Where these jobs are

QLD 26.7% · VIC 26.1% · WA 16.5% · NSW 10.9% · SA 8.6% · TAS 4.3% · NT 4.1% · ACT 2.9%

Top industries

Health Care and Social Assistance · Education and Training · Accommodation and Food Services.

Source: Jobs and Skills Australia — Occupation profiles (Feb 2026) + Employment Projections (May 2025–2035). © Commonwealth of Australia, CC BY 4.0. Figures are national estimates.