Career outcomes

Ageing and longevity are reshaping consumer lifestyles and purchasing decisions, and driving a range of consumer megatrends. Healthcare will take a greater share of government and household spending and the focus on health, wellbeing and healthy lifestyles will continue to gain momentum. Catering to the unique needs and demands of older people will be imperative for both governments and companies alike, creating huge and varied career opportunities in the field of ageing.

By consolidating specialist knowledge and experience in ageing, the Graduate Certificate in Gerontology will increase your career potential. You will be equipped to meet the escalating market demand for a skilled workforce that can respond to the complexities of the global ageing phenomenon, and to become a leader in the field.

In the Australian aged-care sector alone, there are currently over 350,000 paid employees and the Productivity Commission on Caring for Older Australians expects this workforce to quadruple in size over the next forty years (Productivity Commission on Caring for Older Australians, 2011). Half of these employers report skill shortages due to a lack of specialist knowledge required to meet service delivery demands.

Access career opportunities through our extensive Industry Network. Network members range from prominent private consulting companies and the Victorian government, to large service delivery organisations, consultancies, financial institutions, technology firms, retirement villages and peak bodies.

Nursing specialisation

On completion of the Gerontology Nursing specialisation, students should be able to:

• Describe fundamental concepts, approaches and current practices in gerontology nursing
• Identify and assess key physical, psychological and social influences on the ageing experience
• Identify and discuss key challenges in gerontology nursing
• Evaluate nursing strategies and policies aimed at promoting healthy and productive ageing across the lifespan
• Articulate and communicate ageing issues to both specialist and non-specialist audiences in written and oral form
• Demonstrate the application of gerontological nursing knowledge and skills to current challenges
• Apply knowledge of the ageing experience from conceptual and practical dimensions of the course to develop nursing solutions to ageing issues.