Curious about an aged care career? Learn insights from Corryn’s journey

Caring for the elderly can provide an admirable career path. It’s one that requires compassion and patience, along with an understanding of the needs of older individuals.

Corryn, an aged care trainer with Selmar, possesses these qualities in abundance. Her aged care career journey is not only inspiring but can also offer valuable insights for those considering a career in this rewarding sector.

 

 

Corryn’s path from secondary school to aged care career

In her high school days, Corryn was focused on subjects like English, psychology, and history. Following graduating with a VCE qualification, her attention shifted to laying the foundation for her future career.

This is when Corryn decided to enrol in the Certificate III in Individual Support, marking the start of her aged care career journey. Initially, she didn’t plan on sticking to aged care as a long term career. Instead, the flexible working options available in the aged care sector meant Corryn thought it would be a good option to work in while completing a university degree in Criminology and Psychological Science. However, during her time working in aged care, Corryn’s passion for caring for others was strengthened further.

“I loved developing relationships with older people and being in a position that allowed me to make a difference in their lives, at a time when they may not have had the best care, support, or means to do it for themselves. It meant a lot to me to be able to do my job to the best of my ability to provide the best quality care to those I provided support to.”

The aged care career journey – from aged care worker to trainer

Corryn’s aged care career journey started shortly after graduating from high school in 2014. It’s worth noting that her path was not without obstacles.

As she was 16 years old when she first started studying, she had difficulty attending the practical placement without support in getting there. This meant Corryn ended up repeating the theory component once she was able to drive herself to placement and successfully completed her Certificate III.

In the pursuit of further knowledge, Corryn went on to later obtain a Certificate IV in Training and Assessment, allowing her to transition into a trainer and assessor role.

“I decided to go into training and assessment when I started to mentor other students when working in aged care facilities. I found it incredibly rewarding and I saw it as an opportunity to have a positive influence on their career, and thus on the lives of people receiving support. It was at this point I realised I could make a greater impact by becoming a trainer, so that I could guide other students to make the right choices when providing care, by focussing on the individual and providing high quality care”, shares Corryn.

Making a genuine difference in the lives of others

Corryn joined us at Selmar in November of 2021, marking a new chapter in her career as a member of our supportive and dedicated team.

Corryn’s motivation to become an aged care trainer stemmed from that desire to make a positive difference and enhance the quality of care provided to older individuals. She does an exceptional job supporting Selmar students to achieve the knowledge and practical, hands-on skills to become the best carers they can be. As Corryn explains:

“I particularly enjoy supporting people during practical placement, providing on the job training that has significant impact on their skills as a carer. I also, strangely enough, really enjoy processing and documentation to a certain extent. I find it satisfying to do things in a co-ordinated and consistent fashion. That would be my nerd side shining through.”

Expertise and passion in aged care

There are many aspects to working in aged care that give you the opportunity to develop key areas of expertise and passion. For Corryn, dementia support – an area that is often misunderstood – has become a focus.

Her extensive experience as a carer allowed her to develop the patience and understanding necessary to provide compassionate care for individuals living with dementia. This passion drives her to pass on her knowledge to learners, ensuring that they can offer the best support possible to older Australians living with dementia.

Corryn is also dedicated to an individualised, person-centred approach to care, honing in on each person’s preferences and taking the time and care to do things as the older person would like.

“I love providing a friend-like approach, developing professional rapport with older people that has trust. It creates a much more seamless and relaxed approach to a sometimes tense and uncomfortable environment for them”, explains Corryn.

Start your own aged care career journey

At Selmar, our learners are blessed to have inspiring and knowledgeable people like Corryn as their aged care trainer. Making a difference in the lives of older individuals can be profoundly rewarding, and Corryn’s aged care career journey is a reminder that a career in aged care is not just a job; it’s a true passion driven by the desire to make a positive impact on the lives of others.

Studying aged care online can be the beginning of your own fulfilling journey into an aged care career. If you have questions about working in this important sector, reach out to the Selmar team and we can help guide you on your way to a career you will love.