A career in education offers amazing opportunities. Whether you want to work with very young children or support students’ learning in a school setting, you’ll be rewarded with enormous job satisfaction. You might also decide to work in vocational education or teach English to speakers of other languages. Whichever pathway you choose, a course in education can give you the knowledge and skills to succeed. If you’re not sure which qualification would be best for you, here are some of the most popular choices for further study in education:

Certificate III in Education Support

A Certificate III in Education Support is a great way to get started in an educational career. This course will prepare you to work in a school or other educational facility as a teacher aide, teacher assistant, home tutor or Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander education worker. This course will give you the skills to support students as they develop literacy, numeracy and oral language skills.

Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care

The Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care will prepare you for work in a childcare environment. You might be employed as a childcare assistant, early childhood educator or nanny. This course covers a range of topics including caring for children, developing relationships with babies and toddlers, keeping children safe and supporting children’s play and learning.

Certificate IV in Education Support

If you want to advance your skills in an educational setting, a Certificate IV in Education Support may be a great choice for you. This course will give you the skills to support learning for students with disabilities or learning difficulties. The Certificate IV in Education Support will allow you to work in both public and private schools in roles such as teacher aide, teacher assistant, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander education worker and home tutor.

Dual Certificate III in Education Support and Certificate IV in Education Support

A Dual Certificate III in Education Support and Certificate IV in Education Support can broaden your career opportunities in this rewarding industry. If you’re planning to work as a teacher assistant, teacher aide, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander education worker or as a home tutor, this course will give you the knowledge and skills you need. You’ll learn to support responsible behaviour in students and facilitate the development of literacy, numeracy and oral language skills.

Certificate IV in Training and Assessment

The Certificate IV in Training and Assessment can lead to an exciting career in vocational training. You might choose to work in positions such as trainer and assessor, TAFE teacher, education program developer, instructional designer or RTO Administrator. This course will give you the skills to plan a training session, deliver group-based learning and assess the competency of students.

Certificate IV in TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages)

If you’re interested in a career teaching English as a second language, a Certificate IV in TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) may be an excellent pathway for you. Whether you plan to work with migrants and refugees or work overseas as an English tutor, this course will give you the skills to teach grammar, listening, reading, writing, spelling and pronunciation. You might be employed as an EALD teacher, an English tutor or an ESL teacher.

Diploma of Early Childhood Education and Care

A Diploma of Early Childhood Education and Care is the qualification you need if you want to be involved in designing and implementing curriculum in an early childhood setting. You might be employed as a childcare assistant, early childhood educator or childcare centre manager. This course will give you the skills to provide education and care for children, nurture creativity and implement inclusive strategies.

Diploma of School Age Education and Care

The Diploma of School Age Education and Care is a great course if you’re hoping to work in an outside school hours care facility or run a vacation care program. This qualification will give you the skills to safely manage children in your care and nurture their creativity and wellbeing. You might be employed as an early childhood educator or as a childcare centre manager.

Diploma of Training Design and Development

If you want to take your career in education in a new direction, consider enrolling in a Diploma of Training Design and Development. This course is a great choice for anyone wanting to work in instructional design in roles such as learning designer, e-learning developer, education program developer or RTO manager. You’ll learn to design and develop assessment tools, learning strategies and learning resources.

Diploma of Vocational Education and Training

A Diploma of Vocational Education and Training is an ideal qualification if you’re planning to take on a managerial role at a registered training organisation. Whether you want to work as a learning and development manager, an education program developer or a trainer and assessor, this course will give you the skills you need. You’ll cover topics such as leading assessment validation processes and conducting a training needs analysis.

Diploma of TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages)

The Diploma of TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) is a great way to further your career teaching English to non-English speakers. You’ll be prepared to work in roles such as EALD teacher, ESL teacher or English tutor both in Australia and overseas. This course will give you the skills to teach English grammar, spelling and pronunciation, speaking, listening, reading and writing as well as teach English for academic purposes.

Diploma of Interpreting (LOTE-English)

If you’re planning to work as an interpreter or translator, a Diploma of Interpreting (LOTE-English) could be qualification you need to kick start your career. The course will give you the skills to translate and interpret language in a range of industries including administration, health care, police work, community services and tourism. This course allows you to specialise in a range of languages to suit your skill set.

Written by Jodie Magrath
Jodie Magrath
Jodie is a freelance writer with a background in communication and journalism. She’s spent almost 20 years working in roles such as Special Projects Writer and Publications Officer.