The 120-hour work placement in the CHC33021 Certificate III in Individual Support is one of the most talked-about parts of the course — and one of the least clearly explained. This article covers what the placement actually involves, who organises it, the clearances you need, what financial support may be available, and what to do if things don't go to plan.
What the placement involves
The 120 hours of supervised placement are a mandatory part of the CHC33021 qualification, set out in the Assessment Requirements of its units of competency. The placement must be completed in an approved aged care, home and community, or disability support setting.
During placement, you'll work under the supervision of a workplace buddy and supervisor. You'll need to demonstrate practical skills including:
Who arranges the placement — and what to do if it falls to you
This varies by provider, and it's one of the most important questions to ask before you commit to enrolment.
The level of support ranges enormously. At one end, some providers — TAFEs and larger RTOs in particular — offer a work placement guarantee, backed by established networks of host organisations, and will manage the introduction for you. At the other end, particularly with smaller online providers, finding a placement can fall to you completely independently, with no support at all. Wait times can run to several weeks, particularly in metropolitan areas.
Coursely understands exactly how each of our 40+ providers works in terms of work placements, and can advise you on what you'd like — whether that's a provider with a work placement guarantee, through to a provider where you can bring your own employer. You can contact a Coursely advisor directly on 0482 076 318, or select a course you like to receive a free course guide — as part of that, you'll speak with a course advisor.
If sourcing a work placement falls to you because of the provider you've chosen, here are our practical strategies for finding an employer who can take you on for a work placement.
Search for employers who are already hiring
Search Indeed or Seek for aged care or disability support roles in your area. When you find an employer advertising a role that requires a Certificate III, contact them directly. Explain you're a current student looking to complete 120 hours of unpaid placement, and be explicit that hosting you is free — you cost them nothing in wages for those hours, which is a genuine incentive for an employer who is already short-staffed. This signals initiative, removes the wage cost barrier entirely, and — because the employer has already indicated they need staff — puts you in a strong position for a job offer at the end.
Approach providers directly
Many residential aged care homes, community care organisations, and NDIS-registered disability providers regularly host placement students. A direct phone call or email introducing yourself and your enrolment is often faster than waiting for a formal referral.
Use your personal network
If you know anyone working in aged or disability care, ask whether their employer hosts placement students. A personal introduction is often the quickest path to a placement arrangement.
What if I already have an employer in mind for my work placement?
Again, Coursely knows which providers are willing to work with you and your existing employer. Get in touch with us to find out who those are.
If you're already employed in aged or disability care, your current workplace may be able to serve as your placement host — subject to your provider's approval and the involvement of a qualified assessor to observe and document your skills. Raise this with your provider early in the enrolment process.
Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)
If you already have industry experience, you may also be eligible for Recognition of Prior Learning. RPL is a formal assessment process that recognises skills and knowledge you've already gained — through paid work, volunteering, or previous study — and credits them against the units of competency in the qualification. Where it applies, it can mean you complete fewer units, finish sooner, and pay less.
RTOs don't simply take your word for it. Assessment is evidence-based, and you'll typically be asked for a combination of an employment history and position descriptions, a referee report or third-party verification from a supervisor who can attest to your skills, samples of your work, any prior certificates or statements of attainment, and often a competency conversation or practical demonstration with an assessor. The assessor's job is to decide whether your evidence is current, sufficient, and genuinely maps to the specific unit requirements — so experience in a loosely related role may not translate as cleanly as you'd expect.
How generously RPL is applied varies significantly by provider. Some have well-developed RPL pathways and dedicated assessors; others offer it in principle but rarely grant much credit in practice. Fees, turnaround times, and how much evidence you need to assemble also differ. It's worth asking about specifically before you enrol rather than after, because it can materially change both the length and the cost of your course.
Clearances you need before you can start your work placement
Clearance applications take time, and you cannot begin placement without them. Start early.
Standard required clearances
Police Certificate (Criminal History Check)
A legal requirement under the Aged Care Act 2024 and Aged Care Rules 2025. According to the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing, all aged care workers must hold a valid police certificate (no older than three years) or an NDIS Worker Screening Clearance.
NDIS Worker Screening Check
Required if your placement involves a risk-assessed role with a registered NDIS provider. Valid for five years. Importantly, a current NDIS Worker Screening Clearance satisfies the police certificate requirement for aged care — you don't need both. Full guide: costs by state, how to apply, processing times →
Vaccinations
Most host organisations require evidence of current flu vaccination. COVID-19 and Hepatitis B records are also commonly requested. Exact requirements vary by facility and state.
First Aid Certificate
Not nationally mandated, but expected by the majority of host employers. If you don't have one, factor in the time and cost before enrolment.
Clearances are only part of the cost
Police checks, screening and first aid all add up before you've paid a cent of course fees — and what you pay for the course itself varies enormously once subsidies are applied. Comparing providers side by side shows the fees you'd actually face and whether you're eligible for a subsidised place.
See fees, subsidies and eligibility →Not sure what to ask? You can speak to a Coursely course advisor after viewing your options.
The financial reality: placement hours and what support may be available
Most placements are unpaid — unless you're completing your hours through ordinary work with your existing employer. Either way, 120 hours — roughly three full-time weeks — is a meaningful commitment, and for students managing casual work, household budgets, or caring responsibilities, this can represent real financial pressure.
Financial support — Centrelink payments and broader assistance may be available to eligible students. Your training provider is often a good first point of contact. Worth exploring before you enrol, not after.
Subsidised course fees — The Certificate III may be subsidised depending on your personal circumstances, state or territory, and the provider you choose. See our subsidised course options to find providers where funding may already apply.
If something goes wrong during placement
If your supervision is inadequate
Your training provider is your primary support. RTOs have obligations under ASQA's standards for how placement is supervised and assessed. Contact your provider's placement coordinator. Don't wait until your placement is assessed.
If you witness poor care practices
You have the right to raise concerns. If your placement is in an aged care setting, the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission accepts complaints from anyone — including students on placement — about the quality and safety of care being delivered. If your placement is with an NDIS-registered provider, concerns can be raised with the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission, which handles complaints about NDIS supports and services.
If you're injured
Students are typically covered by their RTO's public liability and student insurance while undertaking course requirements. Confirm this with your provider before you begin, and ask specifically what the process is if an incident occurs.
If your placement setting doesn't match your stream
Raise this with your provider early. Being placed in an aged care residential setting when you've enrolled in the disability stream isn't just inconvenient — it can mean your assessed skills don't properly align with the units you need to complete.
Useful questions to ask Coursely before picking one of our 40+ providers
Key sources
References