Early childhood qualifications in Australia include child protection awareness training but these skills must be updated every year. In most states you can complete online refresher training through the state education authority but you can also complete Child Protection Bridging Courses to meet your duty of care.

Melinda Irvine

Studying early childhood education is not necessarily difficult but it can be challenging. You will learn a lot about child behaviour as well as the duty of care and legal responsibilities of an early childhood educator. During your studies, you will have to complete written assignments and you will be tested on your understanding of the early childhood curriculum and learning framework in your state or territory. You will also need to do a supervised work placement and complete a practical assignment while you are there.

Melinda Irvine

Before you can graduate from your ECT qualification you need to complete an unpaid work placement at an approved pre-school, kindergarten, or childcare centre. You must be supervised by qualified staff and have them sign-off on your project portfolios as you complete different tasks. Work placement hours are currently:

• Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care - 160 hours
• Diploma of Early Childhood Education and Care - 280 hours
• Bachelor of Early Childhood Education - 80-90 days

Melinda Irvine

It takes 12 months to complete the Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care which is the minimum requirement to become an early childhood educator. However, you can begin casual work before you have completed your qualification.

Melinda Irvine

You can find the latest salary and employment information for early childhood educators on Jobs and Skills Australia using the following links:

• Early childhood teacher (ECT) — average salary for degree-qualified ECTs working at pre-schools or kindergartens and registered with their state education body.
• Child Carers — average salary for early childhood educators with VET qualifications (Certificate IV or Diploma). These figures also include the average salaries of family day care workers, nannies, and out of school hours care workers.

Melinda Irvine

In most Australian states and territories, early childhood education qualifications are on the list of fee-free courses and subsidised trainings. You can check your eligibility for government funding by using this free tool or better still, enquire with a course training provider for personalised information. If you are eligible, you won’t have to do anything at all, the cost of your studies will be automatically reduced when you enrol. Sometimes the courses are completely fee-free — but that will depend on your age, where you live, and if you have completed other qualifications in the past.

Melinda Irvine

To get a job you must have a Working With Children Check (WWCC) and a National Police Check (NPC) that is less than 3 months old. Most organisations also expect current First Aid and CPR certificates. It’s definitely worthwhile doing anaphylaxis and emergency asthma management training and one of the best options is to complete the nationally recognised short course Provide First Aid in an Education and Care Setting because it covers Asthma & Anaphylaxis as well as CPR. Another helpful certificate is Food Handling because many early childhood educators have to prepare basic meals and snacks for the kids.

Melinda Irvine

If you hold an overseas qualification you will need to have it assessed for equivalence by the Australian Children’s Education & Care Quality Authority (ACECQA) before you can work in the sector. You can learn more about this process on the ACECQA website, but if you are currently located outside Australia you should first contact the Department of Home Affairs?.

Melinda Irvine

Early childhood education in Australia is a regulated sector and there are three standard qualifications:

• Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care
  Average duration: 12 months
• Diploma of Early Childhood Education and Care
  Average duration: 18 months
• Bachelor of Early Childhood Education
  Average duration: 4 years

Melinda Irvine

To work in early childhood education you need to be a very empathetic and understanding person. Having a long list of qualifications is great, but your genuine passion for the development and care of young children is what really makes a great childcare worker.

Nick Preston

Don’t wait to finish your course qualification before getting a job in the early childhood education sector. Here at Earlyhood Recruitment in Sydney, we invite students who have already completed one third of their early childhood qualification to register for casual work and temp opportunities with our specialist agency. To get a full-time job you will need professional experience outside of your work placement and taking on short-term and casual work is excellent for your resume and future employment opportunities.

Nick Preston

Yes, absolutely! The early childhood education sector is traditionally the domain of women but in recent years a lot of men are getting their ECT qualifications. Male early childhood educators are definitely making a valuable contribution to the industry.

Nick Preston