Certificate III in Health Services Assistance

Skills check

Domestic students

You will be invited to complete a Skills Check following your application submission, before enrolling to your studies. This helps you to decide if your course is right for you and allows us to understand your current abilities in English, Maths, as well as using Digital technology. 

The recommended benchmark levels for this course are 3 in English, 2 in Maths and 3 in Digital Technology.

Access and instructions on how to complete the Skills Check will be emailed to you once you have submitted your application.

Read the Skills Check FAQs.

Selection criteria

Domestic students
If you have successfully completed HLT23221 Certificate II in Health Support Services, you may be eligible for credit of units towards this course.

TAFE at School
This course is delivered in two formats depending on the location.

• Full certificate program
• Upgrade from Certificate II in Health Support Services

Please take note of the details listed for each intake, any intake listed as Upgrade, you must have already completed HLT23221 Certificate II in Health Support Services.

Traineeship pathway
To study a traineeship program you must be indentured as a trainee with your employer.

Employers need to be able to provide necessary human and physical resources to qualify for a trainee.

Find out more on how to become an apprentice or trainee

International Students

• English Language Proficiency: Academic IELTS 6.0 (no individual band less than 5.5) or equivalent – For a list of all English Language test accepted by TAFE Queensland International
• Academic Requirements: Completion of Year 10 (or equivalent). Non school-leavers must have relevant work experience or qualification that indicates likely success of course completion. For more information on the international education achievement levels equivalent to Year 10 and 12.

Students should be a minimum of 18 years of age. Student visa applicants under the age of 18 will be accepted where they demonstrate that they will be accompanied by a parent, legal custodian or a suitable relative who is aged 21 or over. This arrangement requires the approval of the Department of Home Affairs.  For more information visit Department of Home Affairs - Welfare Requirements for Student Visa Applicants under 18.

It is recommended that you have access to a reliable internet connection to access TAFE Queensland's online learning system Connect, and a computer with up-to-date software, including Microsoft Office and Adobe Acrobat Reader. This equipment and software is available for use at all TAFE Queensland locations.

You will be provided with a recommended reading list and/or required textbooks during orientation or at the start of each unit. The purchase of these resources may incur additional costs, or you may be able to borrow them from the TAFE Queensland library network.

You may also be required to purchase uniform items, including TAFE Queensland branded items. These details will be provided after enrolment or during orientation. The purchase of these uniform items may incur additional costs of approximately $40.00.

You may also be required to cover travel and/or accommodation costs associated with placement.

If you are not currently employed or volunteering in industry, during your course you will be required to complete vocational placement so you can start practising your new skills in a real-world environment. You’ll be required to work shifts determined by your placement provider, and these can include early mornings or late nights, any day of the week, including public holidays. TAFE Queensland may be able to assist in arranging suitable placements.

Completing placement is compulsory, and you will be expected to manage family and work commitments in order to complete your shifts. You are required to complete 80 hours of placement to satisfy this component of your qualification.

Prior to Placement, you will need to receive and provide evidence of the following checks:

National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS)
This course requires you to obtain a NDIS Worker Screening Check to be eligible to attend the vocational placement assessment component of your studies.

• You must complete your online NDIS Worker Screening Clearance application at this link - NDIS Worker Screening Unit (WSU), and nominate TAFE Queensland as your employer. There is no cost to students. TAFE Queensland will verify each student.
• Students must also complete the NDIS Worker Orientation Online Modules (4 modules/approximately 90 minutes in total). Upon completion, students will need to provide their Certificate of Completion to both TAFE Queensland and their placement provider.

Working with Children Check

• You will also need a Working with Children Check as care environments frequently include exposure to minors. This is called Blue Card in Queensland, or you will need the equivalent if you are completing your Placement outside of Queensland.
• Please note: you can apply for both the NDIS Worker Screening Clearance and Blue Card by completing a combined application via the NDIS Worker Screening portal NDIS Worker Screening Unit (WSU).

Please note: TAFE Queensland wishes to warn you, as a Blue Card applicant, that it is an offence for a disqualified person to sign a Blue Card application.  For further information regarding 'disqualified' persons, please contact Blue Card Services.

Australian Federal Police (AFP) Check
You will be required to provide a current criminal history check obtained ONLY through the AFP website: AFP - Application.

If your check identifies that you have a criminal history, you may be disqualified from being eligible to undertake placement and assessment, which would affect your course outcomes. If you think this might impact you, please speak to the relevant Placement Coordinator of your region for further information.

First Aid
You will also need to provide evidence that you hold first aid competency that is current at the time of placement. This can be in the form of:

• A HLTAID011 Provide First Aid Statement of Attainment, issued no more than 3 years from your date of placement commencement. A current First Aid is to be maintained for the duration of the placement requirements.
• You will also require a current HLTAID009 Provide cardiopulmonary resuscitation Statement of Attainment no older than 12 months from the date of placement commencement. CPR currency requires an annual renewal.

Vaccination requirements
Health and Nursing Portfolio students may be required to provide evidence of the following vaccinations.
The majority of aged and acute care facilities across Australia require this to be completed prior to placement.

• Hepatitis A and B
• Measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) 
• Varicella (Chicken pox)
• Pertussis (whooping cough - an adult booster dose)
• Influenza (annual vaccination)
• COVID-19 Vaccination (strongly recommended)

If you have an existing medical condition that requires possible reasonable adjustment or personalised support during practical assessments, you need to discuss your specific needs with the region’s placement team prior to enrolling. Students are advised that industry may not be able to accommodate personal support needs or preferences that do not align to industry safe practice guidelines, organisational policy and procedure or national standards, or are not structurally or financially feasible (such as adding infrastructure to accommodate mobility aids). Should you be unable to complete a mandatory placement component you may not be able to meet all the requirements of your course and therefore would not be eligible to graduate.

Please ensure you discuss your needs with the placement team of your region.

There is a high degree of physical requirement within this course (e.g. moving, showering and mobility assistance of clients).