Best Subsidised Study Paths for Career Changers

So your current job isn’t cutting it anymore. Maybe the industry’s dying, maybe you’re just burnt out, or maybe you’ve realised you want to do something completely different with your working life. The problem? Starting over usually means retraining, and training costs money you probably don’t have if you’re already struggling in a job you hate. Here’s the thing though—if you’re thinking about a career change, there are heaps of government-subsidised courses specifically designed for people in your exact situation.

We’re not talking about going back to uni for four years. These are practical vocational qualifications—certificates and diplomas you can finish in 6-18 months—that get you qualified for completely different work. And because they’re subsidised, you’re looking at hundreds or maybe a couple thousand dollars instead of tens of thousands. Some are even completely free if you meet the criteria. This guide breaks down the best subsidised study paths for career changers, focusing on industries that are actually hiring and qualifications that lead to real jobs.

Why These Industries Work for Career Changers

Not all fields welcome career changers equally. Some industries are obsessed with “relevant experience” or want you to have been in that field since you were 20. But the industries we’re covering here—aged care, administration, cybersecurity, community services, early childhood—are either experiencing massive skills shortages or specifically value life experience and maturity. They’re also industries where government is actively subsidising training because they need more workers urgently.

The courses are designed with career changers in mind. They assume you’re starting from scratch in this field, they’re structured to fit around existing work commitments (because most people can’t just quit and study full-time), and they include practical placements that give you real experience even if you’ve never worked in that industry before. You’re not competing with 18-year-olds fresh out of school—you’re in cohorts with other adults making similar transitions, which makes the whole thing less intimidating.

Top Subsidised Career Change Pathways

Aged Care and Disability Support

The Certificate III in Individual Support (Ageing, Home and Community, or Disability) is probably the most accessible career change pathway in Australia right now. It’s subsidised or free in pretty much every state because aged care and disability support (especially NDIS) are desperately short of workers. The work involves providing personal care, supporting people’s independence, and helping with daily living activities.

Why it works for career changers: You don’t need previous healthcare experience. The course teaches you everything from scratch, including practical skills through workplace placements. Many employers actively prefer mature-age workers because the role requires empathy, patience, and life skills that come with experience. Plus the work is genuinely meaningful if you’re someone who wants to help people, which appeals to heaps of career changers sick of corporate stuff.

The reality check: It’s physically demanding work—lots of standing, moving, assisting with transfers. Pay starts around $25-$28 per hour, which isn’t amazing but it’s stable work with tons of available shifts. Many people use it as a stepping stone, completing Cert III then progressing to Cert IV or Diploma for better-paid coordination or specialist roles.

Where to find it: Check your state’s Free TAFE list (especially Victoria) or subsidised training programmes. TAFE institutes and healthcare-focused RTOs deliver it. Takes 6-12 months part-time including placement.

Business Administration and Office Work

If you’re coming from customer service, retail, hospitality, or any field where you’ve developed people skills and organisation, moving into administration is a solid pathway. Certificate III or IV in Business Administration teaches you office software, business writing, record keeping, meeting coordination—basically everything you need to work in corporate or government admin roles.

Why it works for career changers: Admin roles exist in literally every industry, so your previous work experience in whatever field can be reframed as transferable. The work is generally 9-5 office hours (good if you’ve been doing shift work and are over it), it’s not physically demanding, and there are clear progression paths into executive assistant, office manager, or specialised admin roles over time.

The reality check: Entry-level admin can be a bit mundane—data entry, filing, answering phones. But it’s often a foot in the door to corporate environments, and once you’ve got some experience you can move into more interesting coordination or project support roles. Pay starts around $50-55k but increases with experience.

Where to find it: Widely subsidised across most states. Many providers offer online or blended delivery, which is perfect if you’re working while studying. Takes 6-12 months depending on whether you do Cert III or IV.

Cybersecurity and IT Support

If you’re even slightly tech-savvy (like, you’re the person family members call when their computer breaks), you can absolutely transition into IT through subsidised training. Certificate IV in Cyber Security or IT Networking, or Diploma of IT are increasingly subsidised because Australia has massive digital skills gaps and not enough people entering the field.

Why it works for career changers: You don’t need to be a coding genius or have studied computer science. These courses assume you’re starting fresh and build from foundations. The work is in huge demand, pays well (entry-level IT support around $55-65k, cyber security roles $70k+), and there’s heaps of remote work options. Plus IT skills are portable—once you’re in, you can work across industries or even freelance.

The reality check: It does require genuine interest in technology and willingness to keep learning, because tech changes constantly. If you hate troubleshooting or get frustrated with computers, this probably isn’t your path. But if you like problem-solving and don’t mind sitting at a desk, it’s one of the better-paid career changes accessible through subsidised training.

Where to find it: Check state subsidised lists—Victoria, NSW, and Queensland particularly fund IT and cyber security training. TAFE and tech-focused private RTOs deliver these. Takes 6-18 months depending on level.

Community Services and Youth Work

Certificate IV or Diploma in Community Services prepares you for support worker, case manager, or youth worker roles across social services, community health, housing support, or youth programmes. It’s for people who want meaningful work helping vulnerable populations—but with better structure, support, and pay than pure volunteering.

Why it works for career changers: Many people come to community services after careers in completely different fields, drawn by wanting work that feels purposeful. The sector values life experience and diverse backgrounds—having worked in other fields gives you broader perspective when supporting clients. There’s also strong demand with ongoing NDIS expansion and increased mental health funding.

The reality check: It can be emotionally heavy work dealing with people experiencing hardship, trauma, or crisis. You need good boundaries and self-care practices. Pay is decent (around $55-70k depending on role and experience) but you’re not getting rich—you’re getting meaningful work that actually helps people.

Where to find it: Subsidised in most states given workforce shortages. TAFE and community services organisations deliver training. Takes 12-18 months for Diploma including placement.

Early Childhood Education

Certificate III or Diploma in Early Childhood Education and Care qualifies you to work in childcare centres. Cert III makes you an educator working directly with kids; Diploma lets you be a room leader or supervisor. Childcare centres are perpetually short-staffed, making this a reliable career change option.

Why it works for career changers: Often appeals to parents or people with younger siblings who’ve realised they enjoy working with kids. The sector is absolutely desperate for workers, so jobs are plentiful. Work is active and social (good if you’re coming from isolating jobs), and there’s genuine satisfaction in contributing to kids’ development.

The reality check: It’s physically tiring (keeping up with toddlers all day), the pay isn’t great for Cert III level ($25-28/hour), and you need genuine patience with both kids and sometimes demanding parents. But if you love working with children and want stable employment, it’s solid. Diploma level opens better-paid leadership roles.

Where to find it: Heavily subsidised or free in most states. Many providers offer fast-tracked delivery. Takes 6-12 months for Cert III, 12-18 months for Diploma including placement.

Support Specifically for Over-25s and Career Changers

If you’re over 25 (or especially 45+) and worried you’re “too old” to retrain, stop. Heaps of state training programmes specifically target mature-age workers and career changers with enhanced support:

Priority funding: Many states prioritise subsidies for people over 45 who are retraining, or people whose industries are declining. You might qualify for free or heavily discounted training that younger students would have to pay for.

Flexible delivery: Recognising career changers are often juggling work and family, most subsidised training offers part-time, evening, weekend, or online options. You’re not expected to quit your job and study full-time.

Career counselling: Many TAFE institutes and training providers offer free career advice services helping you figure out which field suits your situation and skills. Use these—they’re included in your enrolment.

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL): If your previous work involved skills relevant to your new qualification, you might get credit for units without having to study them. This speeds up qualification completion and reduces costs.

Support for Mums Returning to Work

If you’ve been out of the workforce raising kids and want to return in a different field, subsidised training is literally designed for this situation. Many programmes explicitly support “returners” with:

Additional subsidies: Some states offer enhanced funding for people who’ve been out of work due to caring responsibilities, making training cheaper or free.

Study-life balance support: Flexible attendance, online options, and understanding about family emergencies are standard in programmes targeting mature students.

Skills refresh: Courses often include foundational units on workplace digital skills, professional communication, and resume writing—helpful if you’ve been out of formal employment for years.

Fields like early childhood education, aged care, and administration particularly welcome returners because they value maturity, responsibility, and often the parenting experience itself translates to relevant capabilities.

How to Choose Your Pathway

Don’t just pick whatever’s free—choose based on what you actually want to do and can realistically handle. Ask yourself:

Can I physically do this work? Aged care and early childhood are physically demanding. If you have back problems or limited mobility, office-based pathways like admin or IT might suit better.

Does the pay meet my needs? If you’ve got a mortgage and kids, entry-level aged care wages might not cut it. IT or business admin might provide better income, even if initial training takes slightly longer.

Do I actually care about this field? If you’re only choosing aged care because it’s free but the work doesn’t interest you, you’ll hate it and probably quit. Choose something that at least somewhat aligns with your values or interests.

What are job prospects in my area? Check MySkills and look at actual job ads in your location for your target role. If there are no jobs, it doesn’t matter how subsidised the training is.

Making the Change

Career changes feel scary, especially if you’ve been in your current field for years. But staying in work you hate while qualified jobs you could do exist isn’t serving you. Government-subsidised training makes career changes financially achievable—you’re looking at months of part-time study and a few thousand dollars max, not years and tens of thousands.

The fields covered here all have genuine demand, accept career changers without prejudice, and offer decent work once you’re qualified. You’re not starting from zero—you’re bringing all your existing life skills, work ethic, and maturity to a new context. That’s actually valuable, and employers in these industries know it.

Ready to explore what courses are available? Check out online courses and start planning your next career move.

Frequently Asked Questions

Am I too old to change careers and retrain?

No, absolutely not. Mature-age career changers (25+, 45+) are common in subsidised training programmes, and many industries specifically value older workers. Aged care and community services prefer mature employees because life experience matters for the work. Early childhood centres value parents or people who’ve raised kids. Even IT and admin roles welcome career changers—your previous work experience in any field demonstrates reliability and professionalism that employers value. Many state training programmes specifically prioritise funding for over-45s retraining. You’re definitely not too old, and you’ll be studying alongside heaps of other adults making similar transitions. The average age in vocational training is way higher than uni—you’ll fit right in.

Can I study while still working in my current job?

Yes, that’s how most career changers do it. Subsidised certificates and diplomas are designed for part-time study around work—evening classes, weekend workshops, online delivery, or blended formats. A typical part-time load is 1-2 days/evenings per week plus some online work. Many people keep working full-time (or at least part-time) while studying for 6-18 months, then transition into their new field once qualified. Some courses have mandatory workplace placements that might require a week or two off work, but providers usually work with you on timing. The only time you’d need to quit your current job is if you’re doing an intensive full-time accelerated programme, which is optional—part-time pathways exist for everything covered here.

What if I start retraining and realise the new career isn’t for me?

That’s what workplace placements are partly for—they let you test the actual work before fully committing. If you’re three months into a qualification and hate the placement, you can withdraw (check census dates to avoid fees) and try something else. Yes, you’ve lost some time and maybe some money if you withdrew late, but better to discover it’s not for you during training than after completing the qualification and starting work. Most subsidised courses let you withdraw within the first few weeks without financial penalty. And even if you complete a qualification then don’t use it, you’ve gained skills and knowledge that might be useful elsewhere—first aid and workplace safety from aged care training apply to heaps of jobs; IT skills are universally valuable. It’s not ideal to change your mind mid-course, but it’s also not catastrophic—you’re finding out what doesn’t work, which is valuable information for figuring out what does.