A Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care is the best place to start your childcare education journey and will typically take between six months to one year to complete. Your studies can be done on a part-time or full-time basis, delivered either online, in-person or a combination of both.
Within this blog, find out more about what a Certification III in Early Childhood Education and Care involves and how your studies can elevate your career in childcare.
What is involved in the Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Childcare?
A Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care will open doors for you to start your career in childcare. To be classed as a qualified childcare professional, this is the minimum educational requirement needed to be paid as a childcare worker as per the Children’s Service Award.
The course consists of 15 core units and two speciality units. Core units comprise of:
- Provide First Aid in an education and care setting
- Observe children to inform practice
- Provide experiences to support children's play and learning
- Support the holistic learning and development of children
- Develop positive and respectful relationships with children
- Nurture babies and toddlers
- Support inclusion and diversity
- Support children to connect with the natural environment
- Use an approved learning framework to guide practice
- Support children's health, safety and wellbeing
- Encourage understanding of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples' cultures
- Work effectively in children's education and care
- Meet legal and ethical obligations in children's education and care
- Participate in workplace health and safety
- Identify and report children and young people at risk
Specialty units are available for you to customise your qualification and focus on areas of particular interest. There are 13 to pick two from:
- Manage legal and ethical compliance
- Support the holistic development of children in school age care
- Attend to daily functions in home-based child care
- Comply with family day care administration requirements
- Promote innovation in team environments
- Organise personal work priorities
- Manage personal health and wellbeing
- Follow basic food safety practices
- Design and produce business documents
- Implement and monitor environmentally sustainable work practices
- Work with diverse people
- Promote Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander cultural safety
- Reflect on and improve own professional practice
The Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Childcare is a well-rounded qualification, giving you the tools you need to become a great early childhood educator.
What do I need to be able to study a Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Childcare?
You don’t need any prior educational qualifications to be able to enrol in a Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care. However, it is recommended that you have:
- Adequate reading, writing and numeracy skills
- The ability to understand documentation
- Good organisational skills and an empathetic nature
- A degree of mobility to be able to administer CPR and first aid if required
Prior to commencement, you will need to obtain a Working With Children Check (WWCC). This is valid for five years and monitors those working in child-related industries.
What can I do with a Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Childcare?
A Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care allows you to start a career in the childcare industry. After completing your course, you’ll be qualified for entry-level positions such as:
- Childcare assistant
- Early childhood educator
- Before and after school care (OOSH) educator
With experience and further study, you can progress into advanced roles like:
- Early childhood teacher
- Room leader
- Assistant director and centre director
Additional childcare qualifications
More advanced levels of qualifications include a Diploma of Early Education and Care and a Bachelor of Early Childhood Education.
Diploma of Early Education and Care
A more in-depth level of study, the childcare diploma covers units on childcare leadership, inclusivity, managing teams and holistic learning. This course takes 18 months for full time students and requires 240 hours of practical placements.
It can open up opportunities for you to become a room leader, assistant director and centre director. Once you have your diploma, your hourly pay rate will increase in line with the Children’s Service Award.
Bachelor of Early Childhood Education
This course is designed for those who wish to work as an early years teacher, where you'll lead a classroom and make key decisions in relation to children’s education and wellbeing.
The duration of this course can range from two and a half years to four and can be studied on a ‘self-paced’ basis with fixed due dates for assignments. You are expected to demonstrate your ability to teach students from a range of backgrounds and have a degree of cultural competency.
To be eligible to enrol, you must be able to demonstrate that you have achieved one of the following:
- A Certificate IV in Tertiary Preparation or its equivalent
- A Certificate IV or higher vocational qualification
- A Higher School Certificate (HSC) with English at HSC band 4 level or its equivalent
If you have a Diploma of Early Childhood Education and Care , you will get credit for the first year of the degree and will need to complete all but the first year.
Those with this qualification are paid under the Education Service (Teachers) Award.
What can I expect to earn with a Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care?
The childcare industry offers traineeships for those who wish to gain experience before they are qualified. Whilst on a traineeship, you will be studying at the same time for your Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care. The minimum hourly rate for those on a traineeship is $24.95, or $948.00 a week for a full-time permanent role.
At the time of writing, the minimum hourly rate for those with a Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care is $25.71 or $977.00 per week for those employed on a full-time permanent basis.
This will increase with further study. Those with a Diploma of Early Childhood Education and Care receive a minimum hourly rate of $31.66 or $1203.10 per week, and Bachelor of Early Childhood Education holders receive an average starting salary of $85.000 per year. More can be found in our childcare worker salary guide.
Our team of industry experts is here to help
If you’re looking to start your career in childcare, contact us today for information on our available vacancies, requirements for each role and what each position entails.
If you already have your Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care and you are looking for a new role, head to our jobs board and apply today.