The Alcohol and Other Drugs (AOD) sector in Australia offers a diverse and impactful career path for those passionate about making a serious and lasting difference in people’s lives. The sector is supported by a broad network of government, not-for-profit (charitable, religious, self-help groups), and private organisations that provide essential services like treatment, prevention, advocacy, and policy development. 

AOD workers are employed across various settings, including residential rehabilitation, withdrawal services, and community programs, where they support individuals affected by substance use. People in the sector come from fields such as nursing, social work, and psychology, bringing with them a broad foundation of skills. Those who choose this career path are often drawn by the opportunity to work with diverse populations, such as youth, forensic clients, LGBTI communities, culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD), and Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander clients.

Working in the AOD sector is deeply rewarding, offering the chance to make a significant difference in people’s lives. Whether you provide direct client services and meaningful interventions, or work in research and policy, you will become a member of the broader AOD sector. You will be part of a diverse team of experts whose goal is to reduce harm and promote wellbeing. This may include assisting clients with their withdrawal, delivering harm reduction programs, advocating for the rights of people who use drugs, providing counselling, or participating in outreach programs. The work is holistic, requiring you to address the complex nature of AOD use while collaborating with other workers and sectors to ensure the best possible outcomes for clients.

A career in AOD is for people who are committed to providing care that is both compassionate and evidenced-based, and who flourish in an environment that values diversity, adaptability, and collaboration. With a diverse range of roles and career pathways, the AOD sector provides a unique opportunity to build a long-term career while continually developing new skills and making a tangible, positive impact on individuals, families and communities.
 

A wide range of professions interact with individuals with alcohol and drug (AOD) problems as part of their work. The AOD workforce can be categorised into specialist AOD workers (such as Addiction Medicine Specialists, Drug and Alcohol Nurses, Drug and Alcohol workers, and AOD harm reduction workers), and generalist workers who come into contact with people with AOD-related problems through their role (such as social workers, counsellors, pastors, safety officers, teachers, security, pharmacists and law enforcement). 

Below, we provide an overview of some of the main client-facing occupations in the AOD Sector. Besides client-facing positions, these workers can also be found in management, supervision, research, policy and advocacy roles.

Types of occupations in the AOD sector

Addiction Medicine Specialist: In this role you will provide holistic care for patients with a range of addiction disorders – alcohol, drug and pharmaceutical drug dependency. An Addiction Medicine specialist works within a multidisciplinary team to help shape public policy. They provide targeted support and safety strategies for patients suffering from addiction. As an Addiction Medicine Specialist, your typical day might involve application of the bio-psycho-social framework to treat people with addiction.

A typical training process post-internship year includes 36 months of basic physician training followed by 36 months of Addiction Medicine specialisation. There are various other pathways for specialisation which can be found on the RACP website: https://www.racp.edu.au/about/college-structure/adult-medicine-division/australasian-chapter-of-addiction-medicine  

Case Counsellor/Case Manager/Case Worker: In this role, you would provide therapeutic services supporting clients in making healthy lifestyle changes. Your typical day could involve a mix of client assessments, brief intreventions, collaborations with other health care providers, and advocacy efforts.

Social Worker: In this role, you would primarily work towards improving the overall well-being of individuals and families affected by substance abuse by providing counselling, referring clients to treatment programs, and collaborating with healthcare providers. Your typical day could involve assessing clients’ needs, creating treatment plans, facilitating support groups, and advocating for clients’ rights.

AOD Nurse: In this role, you would provide holistic care to patients with AOD issues, considering the biopsychosocial approaches to improving their health. AOD nurses have the expertise and skills to effectively assess, identify, and address complex problems in AOD patients. A typical day for an AOD nurse could involve assessing and identifying clients’ AOD-related health issues, providing specialised care, implementing harm reduction practices, collaborating with other healthcare professionals, and advocating for patients.

Youth Worker: In this role, you would assist young people or groups in addressing social, emotional, and financial concerns, as well as more specific challenges related to their use of AOD. Youth workers must think on their feet, communicate assertively, and have strong problem-solving abilities to navigate daily challenges and positively impact young people's lives. A typical day for a youth worker could involve evaluating clients' needs, developing and implementing support programs to meet their needs, and monitoring their progress. You might meet clients for prescheduled appointments or adapt to the needs of a drop-in service.

Peer Worker: In this role, you will provide emotional, social and practical support by drawing on your shared lived-living experiences with AOD to empower others. When working directly with clients, peer workers foster a relationship with clients based on mutual understanding which facilitates trust and minimises power imbalances. A typical day for a client facing peer worker could involve building mutual relationships, helping clients determine their own goals (e.g. abstinence or harm reduction) and providing necessary support.

Support Worker: In this role, you will provide assistance to individuals with AOD issues. Support workers assess clients' mental and physical health, establish goals, and support them and their caregivers make healthy lifestyle changes. A typical day for a support worker could include evaluating clients' circumstances, facilitating therapy sessions, developing recovery plans, and collaborating with other healthcare professionals. 

Outreach Worker: In this role, you will provide practical and social support to people who are not engaged with services or who are on waiting lists. Outreach workers offer psychosocial support to individuals awaiting residential treatment, assisting them in developing healthy lifestyle habits and engaging and supporting their significant others. A typical day for an outreach worker could include engaging with people in waiting lists, providing information about residential treatment, and planning post-residential treatment. You might conduct your work in a variety of settings, including meeting people where they spend the majority of their time, such as areas of safety and security for people who are sleeping rough or experiencing homelessness.

Indigenous AOD Workforce: There are comparatively few Indigenous people employed in the health and human services field. Consequently, Indigenous workers who respond to AOD issues are an especially important segment of the AOD workforce. They include Aboriginal Health Workers, Aboriginal Mental Health Workers, Aboriginal liaison officers, as well as Indigenous doctors, nurses, community health workers, social workers, drug and alcohol clinicians, and mobile patrol staff. 

The 'Feeling Deadly, Working Deadly' Resource Kit is aimed at reducing stress and burnout, and enhancing wellbeing amongst Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander alcohol and other drug (AOD) workers. This kit is intended for use by Indigenous AOD workers, their managers and supervisors. Mainstream AOD workers and managers may also find the Kit useful. Feeling Deadly, Working Deadly: Indigenous Worker Wellbeing

Find the Role That Fits Your Skills and Interests

The first step in your journey is to choose a role that fits your personal strengths and interests. While many roles in the AOD sector share common therapeutic elements, they often focus on different approaches. For instance, social workers and youth workers often address clients’ needs within the broader context of their environment, while AOD nurses focus on medical and biopsychosocial care. Peer workers draw on their lived-living experience to build mutual relationships with clients. Taking time to understand the focus of each role will help you find a position that fits your strengths and career goals.

Research Your Role Options

After identifying roles that suit your skills and interests, learn more about the training requirements for each role. Whether you're interested in becoming a case worker, counsellor, or youth worker, each role has different educational and experience requirements. For example, some positions, such as that of a peer worker, may not necessarily require formal qualifications, relying instead on lived-living experience. On the other hand, some roles, like AOD nurses or psychologists, require tertiary education. 

Employers may also have their own minimum standards for specific roles. For instance, they may ask for certifications like the Alcohol and Other Drugs Skill Set or a Certificate IV in Alcohol and Other Drugs. In Victoria, all AOD workers employed by the Department of Health and Human Services are required to hold a Certificate IV qualification at minimum. In the ACT, employees in the AOD sector are required to complete a Certificate IV in Alcohol and Other Drugs within three years of their employment. Alternatively, those with tertiary qualifications in health, social, or behavioural sciences may fulfill this requirement by completing the Alcohol and Other Drug Skill Set. It's important to research what’s required for the role you’re passionate about, so you’re fully prepared.

Time Commitment

It is important to consider whether you can commit the necessary time to training, as some training programs can be time intensive. If full-time study isn't feasible, many training providers offer flexible options, such as part-time, night classes, or self-paced courses. Look around at various training providers because they all have different study schedules.

Financial Considerations

Finally, consider the financial aspect of training. Some training programs may require a person to pay the full tuition fee upfront. However, certain training programs are subsidized by the government or even free for eligible students. Tertiary education requires a significant financial investment, but the Higher Education Loan Program (HELP) allows students to defer tuition costs and repay them later through tax. Take the time to explore the financial options available to you and plan accordingly to make your career goals achievable.
 

Various training and education pathways are available. Not all roles in the AOD sector necessitate AOD-specific training. Below is a list of training pathways specific to AOD that will kickstart your journey in the sector.

Skill Set
Alcohol and Other Drugs Skill Set - CHCSS00093 
Alcohol and Other Drugs Co-Existing Needs Skill Set - CHCSS00092

Certificates
Certificate IV in Alcohol and Other Drugs - CHC43215
Certificate IV in Mental Health Peer Work - CHC43515 

Diploma
Diploma of Alcohol and Other Drugs - CHC53215

Use the following link to find providers that offer the Skills Sets, Certificates and Diploma: https://training.gov.au/

The following courses are delivered by universities:
Graduate Certificates
Graduate Certificate in International Addiction Studies – The University of Adelaide
Graduate Certificate in Alcohol and Drug Studies – The University of Adelaide
Graduate Certificate in Alcohol and Other Drugs Nursing – Australian College of Nursing
Graduate Certificate in Addiction Studies for Health Professionals – University of Tasmania
Graduate Certificate of Addictive Behaviours (M4018) – Monash University
Graduate Certificate of Counselling (Addiction) – University of Southern Queensland
Graduate Certificate in Alcohol, Tobacco and Other Drug Studies (5508) – The University of Queensland

Graduate Diplomas
Graduate Diploma in Addiction and Mental Health – The University of Adelaide
Graduate Diploma in International Addiction Studies – The University of Adelaide
Graduate Diploma of Addictive Behaviours (M5022) – Monash University

Master’s Degree
Master of Science in Addiction Studies – The University of Adelaide
Master of Addictive Behaviours (M6014) – Monash University

Other pathways into the AOD sector include work experience or study placements.

There are a number of free online resources in Australia that can help you enhance your knowledge in the AOD sector. These include webinars, short courses, online resources, toolkits, fact sheets, and professional development modules. Follow the links below to explore more about what’s on offer.

Insight - https://insight.qld.edu.au/
Insight provides specialised training in alcohol and other drugs, with a focus on professionals in the mental health and alcohol and other drug sectors.

AdelaideX: Managing Addiction: A Framework for Successful Treatment (The University of Adelaide) - https://www.edx.org/learn/medicine/university-of-adelaide-managing-addiction-a-framework-for-successful-treatment#!
In this course offered by the University of Adelaide, you can learn how to identify the signs of addiction and, using evidence-based responses, match a person struggling with substance abuse with appropriate treatment services.

NDARC - https://www.unsw.edu.au/research/ndarc
The National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre (NDARC) are an Australian research centre that offer range of resources about AOD, including fact sheets, webinars, and reports. They have an ongoing webinar series discussing key issues in the AOD space.

Turning Point - https://www.turningpoint.org.au/education/resources
Turning Point is a national addiction treatment, training, and research centre. They have a range of publicly available webinars on their website, as well as other education and training programs.

NADA - https://nada.org.au/
The Network of Alcohol and other Drug Agencies (NADA) is the peak organisation for non-government alcohol and other drugs services in NSW. They offer a variety of services and programs with a focus on workforce and sector development. Fact sheets, practice tips, reports, and other resources are available on their website.

ADF - https://adf.org.au/
The Australian Drug Foundation (ADF) offers information on the effects and harms of alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs, as well as resources for health care professionals, parents, and those seeking treatment.

Alcohol and other Drugs Knowledge Centre - https://aodknowledgecentre.ecu.edu.au/about/
The Australian Indigenous HealthInfoNet Alcohol and other Drugs Knowledge Centre offers culturally appropriate resources to reduce harms from alcohol and drug use among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. It provides a range of resources, including clinical guidelines, culturally safe programs, and peer-reviewed publications.

Understanding Motivational Interviewing (Flinders University) - https://www.flinders.edu.au/study/short-courses/understanding-motivational-interviewing
A short course designed to develop your ability to apply motivational interviewing into professional practice.

Screening & Withdrawal Tools Collection (NCETA) – https://aodscreening.flinders.edu.au/screening
NCETA has gathered various tools to assist AOD professionals in screening for problematic AOD use and evaluating the severity of withdrawal across a range of substances.