Who is this qualification for?
This is an entry-level qualification in the Education and Care Sector. This is the qualification for you if you are passionate about starting a career as an educator. Our graduates find employment in a variety of rewarding positions such as an:
- Early Childhood Educator
- Family Day Care Educator
- Outside of School Hours Care Educator
- In Home Carer
- Education Support Worker
Graduates who successfully complete the CHC30121 Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care can enrol into and complete the CHC50121 Diploma of Early Childhood Education.
To fill in the form – Click Here
What will I gain out of this qualification?
Studying this qualification will equip you with the skills and expertise needed to provide quality education for children in diverse settings. It covers the fundamentals of child development and early childhood education. Throughout the program, you will gain knowledge and skills in various topics, including:
- Effective interaction and communication with children
- Appropriate care and education strategies for children aged 0-6 years
- Legal and ethical practices when working with children, including health and safety
- Collaborating with children and families with diverse needs.
How long will the course take?
The standard course completion timeframe is 18 months.
You can choose to complete the qualification faster.
There may be situations where a student requires additional time to complete the qualification. CPLE will consult with the student to develop a tailored Assessment Schedule, while ensuring any workplace, school and/or Government funding timeframe requirements are met.
Enrolment should not exceed a 24 month period unless extenuating circumstances are involved.
Course structure
To be awarded the CHC30121 Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care, you must demonstrate competence in a total of 17 units: 15 core units and 2 elective units (selected by CPLE). These units are organised into modules to simplify the assessment process. CPLE will assist you in completing these assessments according to your Assessment Schedule.
Module: Health and Safety
- HLTWHS001 Participate in workplace health and safety
Module: Working in Early Childhood
- CHCECE055 Meet legal and ethical obligations in children’s education and care
- CHCECE056 Work effectively in children’s education and care
Module: Frameworks for Reflection
- CHCPRP003 Reflect on and improve own professional practice (Elective)
- CHCECE034 Use an approved learning framework to guide practice
Module: Care and Protection
- CHCPRT001 Identify and respond to children and young people at risk
Module: Care and Nurturing
- CHCECE031 Support children’s health, safety and wellbeing
- CHCECE032 Nurture babies and toddlers
Module: Relationships and Connections
- CHCECE033 Develop positive and respectful relationships with children
Module: Supporting Children’s Development
- CHCECE035 Support the holistic learning and development of children
- CHCECE036 Provide experiences to support children’s play and learning
- CHCECE038 Observe children to inform practice
Module: Connections with Nature
- CHCECE037 Support children to connect with the natural environment
Module: Inclusion and Diversity
- CHCECE030 Support inclusion and diversity
- CHCECE054 Encourage understanding of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples’ cultures
- CHCDIV001 Work with diverse people (Elective)
Module: First Aid
- HLTAID012* Provide First Aid in an education and care setting (outsourced by CPLE for training and assessment)
Course Fees
There are three funding options currently available for this qualification:
- User Choice Funding: Under this Government funded option, you will only be required to pay a one-off $350 Student Administration Fee, and the Government will pay for the remainder of the course. Please refer to the User Choice Funding page for details regarding eligibility.
- Skilled Capital Funding: Under this Government funded option, you will only be required to pay a one-off $180 Student Administration Fee, and the Government will pay for the remainder of the course. Please refer to the Skilled Capital Funding page for details regarding eligibility.
- Fee-for-service: This option is available if you do not meet the eligibility criteria for the Government funding options. The total cost of the qualification is $3,620, but you won’t need to pay upfront. Instead, you will pay for each unit of competency as you progress through the course. For more details on the payment plan, please refer to the Qualification Outline.
Entry Requirements
- Computer and Digital Requirements: You must have personal access to:
- A digital device such as a computer or laptop with webcam capabilities to participate in assessments via virtual role plays via MS Teams.
- A working Internet connection.
- Business software applications such as Word, Excel and PowerPoint or equivalent.
- An active email account for the sake of communication and scheduling.
- Work Placement/Experience: Work experience is a critical part of skill development and is mandated within this qualification. Every module you complete within this qualification contains an assessment that must be conducted within a regulated education and care service (due to the unit of competency requirements).
As part of the above requirements, you must have access to an education and care service that has children aged between 0-2 years enrolled in order to complete the mandated 160 nominal hours with this age group that is outlined in the following units of competency: CHCECE035, CHCECE036, CHCECE031 and CHCECE032.
If you are not currently employed in the Education and Care Sector or will require assistance to source a workplace to complete the 160 nominal hours with the 0-2 year age group, please contact CPLE to discuss options available to you.
- Language, Literacy and Numeracy Skills: It’s important that CPLE understands the level of support you may need during your studies to ensure we can effectively meet your needs. During the pre-enrolment process, your Language, Literacy, Numeracy (LLN), and Digital Skills will be assessed through an LLN assessment. This assessment helps CPLE identify your current ACSF* levels in learning, reading, writing, oral communication, and numeracy. For a Certificate III qualification, Level 3 skills are required. If you do not meet these levels, you will be referred to support options—either internal or external to CPLE. CPLE will guide you through the entire process, and all options will be discussed with you once the assessment results are finalised.
*The Australian Core Skills Framework (ACSF) is a tool which assists both specialist and non-specialist English language, literacy and numeracy practitioners describe an individual’s performance in the five core skills of learning, reading, writing, oral communication and numeracy
- Unique Student Identifier (USI): Students enrolling in nationally recognised training must have a Unique Student Identifier (USI) and provide it to CPLE for compliance purposes. The USI is a unique ten-character code made up of numbers and letters. You will need a USI to enrol and to receive your qualification or statement of attainment. For more information, please visit the USI website at http://usi.gov.au.
- Government Funding Eligibility Criteria: If you are seeking to enrol via one of our Government-funded options, you will need to meet the eligibility criteria for that specific funding option. Please refer to the Government Funding pages for more detail.
How is this qualification delivered and how will I be assessed?
Please refer to the Studying with CPLE page for details regarding how we deliver our qualifications, how we support our students, and how you will be assessed.
Downloadable Resources with more information
→ CHC30121 Cert III Qualification Outline PDF
How to apply to study for Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care?
You can apply for this course by filling in the enquiry form here. You can also email us at cple@commsatwork.org, or call 02 6293 6220.
Communities at Work is a Registered Training Organisation, trading as the Centre of Professional Learning and Education (RTO 88148).