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.

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?.

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

Many employers will check if your qualification and training provider is recognised by the Australian Children’s Education & Care Quality Authority (ACECQA).

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.

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.

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

Most training providers expect you to organise the work placement yourself but offer plenty of support services to guide you through the process.

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.

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.

Remember, the salaries quoted on Jobs and Skills Australia are median figures for full-time employees and should be considered a guide only.

For the job listings and salary information, you can visit Kinder Careers, which provides detailed job descriptions and compensation packages.

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.

Yes. Early Childhood Educators (including Childcare Centre Workers, Centre Managers, Group Leaders, and Coordinators) are currently on the state government’s high-demand jobs and careers list.

Recent studies indicate more than 2,000 new ECE jobs will open up over the next 3-4 years in Victoria.

Even better, eligible students who live in Victoria can do free training right now under the Free TAFE, JobTrainer and Skills First incentives. Use our quick tool to check your eligibility for the following free courses:

• Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care
• Diploma of Early Childhood Education and Care