what is a speech pathologist?
As a speech pathologist, you work alongside other health professionals to diagnose and treat various speech issues. Some of the problems you treat include issues with speech and voice, trouble understanding language or fluency, and swallowing difficulties. As a speech pathologist, you study a patient's history to determine the cause of speech problems, such as a developmental disability, learning condition or injury that leads to speech problems.
Speech therapists treat clients of all ages, including infants born with cleft lips or preschoolers with speech problems. You also work with children with childhood apraxia of speech (CAS) or neurodiverse adults, such as autistic patients. Adults who get a brain injury may have speech problems after recovery. Seniors with neurological conditions like dementia, Parkinson’s or motor neurone disease also need speech pathologists to improve their speech.
Your job as a speech pathologist is to help your patients improve their fluency, articulation and literacy skills. You also counsel patients on ways to handle their speech challenges. When patients find it hard to communicate, you recommend augmentative communication methods, such as electronic communication devices or high-tech communication devices.
view rolesaverage speech pathologist salary
The average salary of a speech pathologist in Australia is $93,000 per year. When you join the profession, you start with a lower salary of $85,000 per year. As a senior speech pathologist, your experience significantly improves your remuneration, and you can make over $100,000 annually.
what factors affect your salary as a speech pathologist?
Your earnings as a speech pathologist depend on your experience and qualifications. When you start out in the role, you are likely to earn less due to your minimal expertise. As you gain experience and improve your expertise, you can negotiate a better remuneration package. Having advanced qualifications also showcases your skills and expertise, improving your salary prospects.
The size of the health facility and the company you work for also affect your earnings. As a speech therapist, you work in schools, private hospitals or aged care homes. If your employer has unlimited resources, you are likely to earn more compared to speech therapists working in smaller companies. The complexity of your duties also influences your salary. In large institutions, you work with multiple patients daily, which increases your remuneration potential.
Want to know what you will earn as a speech pathologist? Check out what you are worth with our salary checker.
types of speech pathologists
Speech pathologists work with diverse patients to treat speech, language and cognitive communication disorders. You can explore various specialisations, like paediatric or adult speech pathology. As a paediatric speech pathologist, you work with children with difficulties in speaking, pronouncing certain sounds and swallowing. You may work in schools, daycare centres, private clinics and mining communities.
As an adult speech pathologist, you work with adults with difficulty understanding speech or speaking. The speech issues are due to neurological issues or brain injuries, often caused by car accidents or occupational hazards in mining and manufacturing industries. You examine and develop treatment plans to improve their communication skills.
As a speech pathologist, you can also work as a voice or speech coach and train singers and actors. Your job is to help actors reduce their accents and adapt to new dialects. You also treat and prevent injuries to vocal folds.
working as a speech pathologist
If you want to become a speech pathologist, here are the duties, work environments and job prospects in the role:
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speech pathologist description
Some of the duties of a speech pathologist include:
- assessing and diagnosing patients: as a speech pathologist, you assess your patient's speech and language capabilities. You use standardised assessments to identify communication challenges, speech disorders and language delays. From the diagnosis, you can identify the needs and goals of each client.
- developing treatment plans: as a speech pathologist, you develop tailored therapies to meet the needs and goals of your patients. Your treatment plan should address a particular area of concern. For instance, if your patient has language issues, you incorporate activities and techniques that improve their vocabulary.
- providing speech and language therapy: as a speech pathologist, you guide patients through activities that improve their speech and language. You support clients with voice modulation, articulation and speech sounds. Some of the therapies you use include reading storybooks and organising engaging activities like tongue twisters to make the sessions enjoyable.
- helping patients with swallowing issues: as a speech pathologist, you also help patients with feeding or swallowing difficulties. You work with infants with breastfeeding difficulties and help them feed better. Adults recovering from neurological conditions or surgeries may also have difficulties swallowing solid foods. You help them improve their swallowing mechanism.
- collaborating with healthcare professionals: as a speech pathologist, you work closely with other health professionals to provide a comprehensive care plan. You also explain the patient’s progress to their family and offer guidance or counselling to help them understand the needs of the patient.
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work environment
As a speech pathologist, you work in diverse settings, including hospitals, schools, community health centres, and residential and aged care facilities. You also work in mental health facilities and disability centres to help patients with mental health issues or developmental disabilities. Your work environment depends on your employer. In schools, you work indoors in classrooms, but you can also hold outdoor therapy sessions. In hospitals and community health care centres, you work indoors assisting patients with various health conditions. The role involves travelling when you provide therapy sessions at private residences.
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who are your colleagues?
Depending on your employer and the industry you work in, your colleagues might include paediatric nurses, paediatricians and occupational therapists. You might also be working in close proximity to primary school teachers and secondary school teachers, as well as other specialists that could include, but not be limited to, social workers, case managers and doctors.
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work schedule
The typical work schedule of a speech pathologist is standard business hours, typically from 9 am to 5 pm, but your work hours may vary depending on your employer. When working in schools, you work Monday to Friday during school hours, whereas in hospitals and private clinics, you work traditional office hours. However, you are always on call in case healthcare professionals need an urgent consultation. That means you may work evenings and weekends to handle emergencies. Most speech therapists work full-time work schedules, but part-time positions are also available.
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job outlook
Speech pathologists are in high demand in Australia, and the demand is projected to increase by 34.7% in the next five years. As a speech pathologist, you build your experience from a junior role to a senior speech pathologist position. Alternatively, you can specialise in working with children or adults. Some speech pathologists also specialise in education and research. When you have extensive experience, you can open a private practice.
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advantages of finding a speech pathologist job through randstad
Finding your speech pathologist job through Randstad provides important advantages such as:
- a wide variety of training and development opportunities
- an experienced contact person to provide help if needed
- a range of opportunities in your area
- get paid weekly or monthly, depending on the job
- temporary and permanent contracts
Want a permanent contract? A temporary job as a speech pathologist is often a stepping stone to an attractive permanent job. Thousands of people earn a permanent contract every year with great employers thanks to a temporary job found through Randstad. What's more, many companies recruit their permanent employees through Randstad too.
education and skills
If you want to become a speech pathologist in Australia, start your career with a recognised university degree, such as a bachelor of speech pathology or a bachelor of applied science in speech pathology. Degree courses take four to five years of full-time study. If you have a bachelor's degree in a different field, complete a master's in speech pathology.
You should volunteer as a speech pathologist while studying to improve your skills and gain experience. When you complete your degree, consider registering with Speech Pathology Australia (SPA) to become a Certified Practising Speech Pathologist (CPSP). Your CPSP qualification depends on continued professional development, such as working as a speech therapist for a minimum of 1,000 hours in five years. If you work in schools, you will need to undergo a Working with Children Check and a Police Check.
speech pathologist skills and competencies
As a speech pathologist, you require the following qualities and skills:
- compassion and empathy: as a speech pathologist, you require compassion and empathy when interacting with patients. The ability to empathise with your patients helps you understand their challenges and provide better care. Being compassionate and empathetic also helps you build trust and make your patient comfortable during the treatment.
- patience: as a speech pathologist, it is important to be patient. Working with patients with speech issues requires perseverance and patience to achieve the desired results. Depending on the severity of the patient's speech and communication disorder, you may not see any progress for months or years. Being patient helps you encourage your patients to continue their treatment and give them hope.
- active listening: as a speech pathologist, you should build rapport and trust with your patients. Having good listening skills helps you establish a relationship, and you can identify improvements in your patient’s speech or vocabulary. Documenting changes throughout therapy is essential when determining whether or not the treatment plan is working.
- organisational skills: as a speech pathologist, you work with a large number of patients. It is essential to keep patient records and notes well-organised to avoid mix-ups in treatment plans. Being organised also helps you manage time.
FAQs about working as a speech pathologist
Here, you will find the answers to the most frequently asked questions about the profession of a speech pathologist.
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what is the role of a speech pathologist?
As a speech pathologist, you work with patients with speech and language disorders. Your job is to diagnose and treat speech and language issues through various speech therapies. You also help your patients improve social communication and deal with swallowing disorders.
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what do speech pathologists earn in Australia?
The average remuneration package of a speech pathologist in Australia is $93,000 per year. When new to the role, you start with an annual salary of $85,000, but with experience, you can earn over $100,000 per year.
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is there a demand for speech pathologists in Australia?
Speech pathologists in Australia are in high demand, and the projected job growth is expected to increase by 34.7% in the next five years. The diverse work settings also boost the demand for speech therapists.
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how long does it take to become a speech pathologist in Australia?
A bachelor's degree in speech pathology takes four years, and you can start working as a speech pathologist after registering with Speech Pathology Australia. If you are in the middle of a career change, the master's degree takes two years.
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what skills do you need to be a speech pathologist?
You require exceptional communication skills to excel as a speech pathologist. Active listening skills are also crucial for identifying improvements in your patients.
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how do I apply for a speech pathologist vacancy?
Applying for a speech pathologist job is easy: create a Randstad profile and search our job offers for vacancies in your area. Then send us your CV and cover letter. Need help with your application? Check out all our job search tips here.
