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Welfare worker

Find out more about working as a welfare worker and the possible pathways to job opportunities.

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Welfare workers work in community services. They help individuals, families and groups improve their wellbeing.

They also work in schools. They may support individual students and families, and they help build a positive school culture.

Find out what a welfare worker does and the related Vocational Education and Training (VET) courses and pathways you can take to secure a job.

What is a welfare worker?

Welfare workers support people with emotional, social and financial difficulties. You may help individuals, families or groups.

You could be a welfare worker in a school, or in the broader community.

In an education context, welfare workers help students with a range of issues. These could include:

Welfare workers may also work across the school community to improve student wellbeing and build a positive culture.

Find out more about welfare workers(opens in a new window) and these related jobs on the Victorian Skills Gateway(opens in a new window):

Explore these related TAFE and training courses on the Victorian Skills Gateway(opens in a new window):

You may be eligible for government funding to help pay for your course.

Median salary

The median weekly earnings for a welfare support workers in Australia is $1,688.

Source: Jobs and Skills Australia(opens in a new window)

Note this salary is current as of January 2025 and is indicative only. A range of salaries apply to different roles across the industry.

Job demand in Victoria

Below are the employment projections for welfare support worker jobs in Victoria. Figures show the number of workers in 2024 and the new workers expected to enter the workforce by 2027 and 2034.

‘New workers expected’ accounts for workers adding new jobs to the economy and replacing retirees over the next 3 and 10 years. These projections are estimates only. There will be additional jobs available as people move between jobs and industries.

Region Workers 2024 New workers expected by 2027 New workers expected by 2034
Victoria 20,968 1,175 5,783
Melbourne – inner metropolitan 2,406 161 666
Melbourne – inner south-east metropolitan 1,227 53 279
Melbourne – southern metropolitan 2,629 134 735
Melbourne – northern metropolitan 2,851 202 1,023
Melbourne – eastern metropolitan 2,381 100 575
Melbourne – western metropolitan 2,306 207 926
Ballarat and surrounds (Central Highlands) 804 41 191
Bendigo, Echuca and surrounds (Loddon Campaspe) 1,335 41 292
Geelong, Colac and surrounds (Barwon) 1,447 99 434
Gippsland 1,258 61 301
Horsham and surrounds (Wimmera Southern Mallee) 276 <10 30
Mildura, Swan Hill and surrounds (Mallee) 498 16 52
Shepparton, Seymour and surrounds (Goulburn) 538 11 104
Wangaratta, Wodonga and surrounds (Ovens Murray) 567 21 114
Warrnambool, Hamilton and surrounds (Great South Coast) 445 19 61

Source: Victorian Skills Authority Employment Projections Dashboard

Resources to plan your next steps

Visit our education and training services industry profile to find out about:

Also visit our working with children and young people industry profile.

Explore growing industries in your region

Training and careers in your region

Explore training, skills and job opportunities in your area of Victoria. Find out where you could work, what kind of job you could do, and what training you’ll need.

Training and careers in growing industries

Learn about high demand industries in Victoria. Find out where you could work, what kind of jobs you could do, and what training you’ll need.

Updated 19 December 2024

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