A Certificate IV in Education Support is a great qualification for anyone who enjoys working with children in an educational setting. This course will prepare you for a career as a teacher aide or for a specialist role such as an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander education worker. You might work in a public or private primary or secondary school or in a community education centre. The Certificate IV in Education Support will give you the skills to support teachers in classroom activities or work with individual students or small groups of learners.
The Certificate IV in Education Support covers a range of topics relevant to modern learning environments. You’ll learn to work with students with disabilities or with learning difficulties and develop an understanding of the current legislative, policy and industrial requirements. You’ll learn to work with students from a range of backgrounds and may also address topics such as assisting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students. This course includes a work placement so you can practise your skills in a real world setting.
A Certificate IV in Education Support is an ideal course of study for the following careers:
Teacher Aide
A Teacher Aide works with teachers to support student learning at a school or educational setting. You might provide general assistance in the classroom, work with small groups of students who need additional support or help students with disabilities or learning difficulties. Teacher Aides may help prepare learning materials or supervise students during eating and play breaks.
Teacher Assistant
A Teacher Assistant provides support to students during learning activities. You might work at a school or in another educational setting such as a community learning centre. Teacher Assistants may work one-on-one with students or take small groups of learners for an activity. You might also provide general classroom assistance or help get learning materials ready.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Education Worker
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Education Workers support Indigenous students at school or in another educational setting. You might work with students on their classroom lessons or participate in cultural activities across a school. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Education Workers assist students in primary and secondary schools in both public and private educational facilities.
Higher education pathways
A Certificate IV in Education Support is an excellent qualification if you’re hoping to support students in an educational setting. You could also specialise your skills with a Certificate IV in School Age Education and Care or a Certificate IV in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Education. You might also decide to advance your studies with a Diploma of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Education.
If you choose to take your studies further, you could enrol in a university degree such as a Bachelor of Education or a Bachelor of Teaching. This will expand your career opportunities and may allow you to take on an educational role with more responsibility. You may be able to use a Certificate IV in Education Support as a pathway to these courses.
Getting started
If you’re considering enrolling in a Certificate IV in Education Support, it’s important you collect information from a range of course providers. You’ll need to contact providers to find out about the duration of the course, costs, any prerequisites and the content the course will cover. Providers often vary in the way they deliver their courses, so it’s important you find the one that meets your needs.