Online financial courses - advice?

So in case anyone hasn't noticed from the fact I stalk the Centrelink subforum, I have a bit of an unhealthy interest in Centerlink's irritatingly uneven system, budgeting, finances yada yada.

I'm qualified in IT and psychology but haven't been working formally for quite some years, and now I'm in the country there's no jobs in IT anyway besides the messing around for cash I already do online. I could really use a part-time day job though.

So what I'd ideally like to do once bubs is off the boob is get a job (volunteer, paid, parttime, don't care) at one of the local charities doing something like financial counselling for very low income earners, doing budgets, liasing with CL and charities on their behalf, that kind of thing. I know this kind of job exists as the largest local charity offers this service and heck, even working part time at CL itself wouldn't be all that bad .. or would it?

Right now I have a newborn but the first half of next year (2011 semester 1) strikes me as being an ideal time to do an online course at home, since I'll probably still be breastfeeding but DS should be crawling and on solids by then and I won't have him on my lap half the day.

The question is - what course would you need to do to get qualified for this kind of thing? Anyone work in the field?

Sorry this is a bit late. I did a diploma of financial services (financial planning) through Kaplan last year. It sounds like it would be along the lines of what you're looking for. 4 subjects, you can do each subject over a six month period at your own pace, I did the last 2 subjects at the same time when I was at home after DD was born and found it pretty easy to manage. I did it through work as part of a paraplanning/financial planning program but went on maternity leave and am still at home now. I would love to get into financial counselling one day but I'm also unsure of exactly how you would get into that sort of job. Good luck

I'm studying the same course that Fuzzywuzzy studied, however it is through Pinnacle Education and there are 6 subjects, not 4, I think they changed from 4 to 6 just before I started it. I think that this course may be what you're after.

ooooh, great thread, I'm looking at doing something like this at the start of next year in preparation for when I return to the workforce. Thanks for those suggestions girls :)

What kind of costs do these courses involve? Not that I have money issues (if my bank will let me sell this house) but ... y'know :)

With Kaplan it was $550 per subject - 4 subjects. I think they give you a discount if you pay for all 4 upfront

Pinnacle charges $335 per subject (6 subjects) and there is a discount if u enrol in all at once, think it works out to around $1750 for the whole course.