Australian residents
International students
Duration:
1 year full time
Delivery mode:
Face to Face with eLearning
Location: 
Footscray Nicholson
Industry
St Albans
Sunshine
Werribee
Other
Start dates:
3 February 2025
4 February 2025
24 February 2025
Study off-campus:
Available for Traineeship or Industry.
Contact VU Polytechnic for more information
Application due dates:
Applications for this course are currently being accepted.
Apply

Overview

Turn your passion for working with children into a rewarding career with a Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care CHC30121 at Victoria University (VU).

Get job-ready with hands-on learning in our early-childhood practical rooms, and via two practical work placements in industry.

You’ll complete this course with the qualification and confidence to work in early-childhood education and childcare centres caring for children from birth to six years old. You’ll:

  • learn the fundamentals of early childhood development
  • develop skills to support and nurture babies, toddlers and pre-schoolers
  • gain expertise to plan and provide enriching educational experiences for children in a range of environments.

Your Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care covers topics such as:

  • effective interaction and communication with children
  • appropriate care for babies, toddlers and children
  • nutrition
  • first aid, health and safety
  • working legally and ethically.

Practise your skills in a simulated early childhood environment in the early childhood practical classrooms on-campus in Werribee, St Albans, Footscray or Sunshine.

At VU, you’ll collaborate with your classmates to work through scenarios and debrief with your expert teachers to improve your skills.

Benefit from our close ties to the community, with the purpose-built Victoria University Children’s Centre on our Werribee and Footscray Nicholson Campuses, providing care and education with a varied indoor and outdoor play-based program.

A key component of this course is three work placements, in which you’ll work alongside experienced professionals to consolidate your skills and put theory into practice.

As a VU student, you’ll benefit from our extensive partner network, which includes schools and community and government organisations, particularly in Melbourne’s north and west. Your placements may also lead to paid employment.

Your teachers are experts in their field and have valuable industry contacts. You’ll also get to hear from guest speakers, and your assessments will be scenario-based with links to the real world. 

This course will give you the minimum qualification and skills to take on paid roles in early childhood centres. It’s also the first step towards further career advancements in early childhood.

To open doors to higher-level responsibilities in the sector, after completing this course you’ll enjoy guaranteed entry into our Diploma of Early Childhood Education and Care, which can also lead into bachelor-level study at VU. 

Need some advice?

Request a call back from one of our experienced VUHQ course advisers to get your questions answered.

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TAFE resources

Preparing for a Career in Early Childhood Education - Transcript

Information sessions

There's never been a better time to study early childhood education. Join an information session to find out more.

Careers in early childhood education

With the introduction of three-year-old kindergarten, jobs in early childhood are booming in Victoria.

Take advantage of the opportunity to become one of the more than 11,000 new early childhood teachers and educators the Victorian Government is estimating we will need over the next decade.

With a Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care, you could take on roles such as:

  • early childhood educator
  • outside school hours care assistant
  • playgroup supervisor
  • recreation assistant
  • family-daycare worker
  • nanny
  • early childhood educator or assistant.
From screen to school

From screen to school

After briefly pursuing an acting career, Justen Petch realised that he needed a role that would pay the bills but also allow him to express his creativity.

assets/arrow-long Created with Sketch.

Nationally recognised training

This course is nationally recognised training.

Course structure

To be awarded CHC30121 Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care, 17 units must be completed consisting of:
- 15 core units
- 2 elective units of which
- 1 unit must be selected from the CHC30121 Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care qualification
- 1 unit may be selected from any endorsed training package or accredited courses – this unit must be relevant to the work outcome.

Vocational Education and Training Delivered to Secondary Schools (VDSS) students who complete these units of study as part of the VDSS will be issued a Statement of Attainment.

VU Polytechnic delivers the electives listed in the ‘course structure and units’ below. These electives have been selected based on industry needs, graduate pathways and/or student and teacher feedback. Alternative suitable electives are only available via Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) and Credit Transfer (CT).

Domestic and International On-Shore Programs

Core units

Elective units

Traineeship Program

Core units

Elective units

VDSS Program

Year 1

Year 2

This qualification reflects the role of educators in early childhood education and care who work in regulated children's education and care services in Australia. They support children's wellbeing, and development in the context of an approved learning framework. Educators use a range of well-developed skills and knowledge using discretion and judgment when carrying out their work in the context of established policies and procedures. They may work independently or under the guidance of others, though in some contexts that guidance may not be on-site.
Early childhood educators work in long day care centres, family day care, pre-schools or kindergartens.
Under the Education and Care Services National Law (2011) the Australian Children's Education and Care Quality Authority (ACECQA) publishes lists of approved early childhood education and care qualifications and information regarding regulatory requirements here: www.acecqa.gov.au

Fees & scholarships

Fee type for this course: VET

Fee type definitions

The amount you pay for your course depends on whether you’re offered a government subsidised place or a full fee-paying place.

Students who enrol in a:

  • government subsidised place pay subsidised tuition fees (the government contributes the rest), and may be required to pay a Student Services and Amenities Fee along with any material fees
  • full fee-paying place pay the full fee tuition rate (which includes Student Services and Amenities Fee and any material fees).

Calculate your VET course fees.

Find out more about:

Scholarships & assistance

Apply for a scholarship to help with your study costs.

We can help with fee assistance and advice.

Skills First (subsidised) indicative fees

The Skills First government contribution in 2024 towards this course is $9,223.50. If eligible, you will pay:

  • Tuition: $4,695.60* (course eligible for Free TAFE)
  • Materials: $229 (non-trainee) or $150 (trainee)
  • Student Services and Amenities Fee (SSAF): maximum per year $175.50**

*A concession rate of 20% of the standard Skills First subsidised tuition fee is available if you are eligible for a concession. Learn more about concessions.

**May be subject to change.

Full-fee place total indicative fees

  • 2024 full-fee place: $13,975.

Admission & pathways

Meeting the minimum admission requirements does not guarantee you entry into this course. Some courses receive more applications than the number of places available. In this situation we will also assess your education, work and other relevant experience.

If you do not meet the minimum requirements you may be eligible for one of our special admission programs.

Find out more about how to apply for our courses, and our commitment to admissions transparency.

Entry requirements

Standard applicants must complete to determine suitability:
* Pre-training Review (PTR)
* Literacy and numeracy assessment.
* Students will also be required to demonstrate they have the capacity to work with children and families in the highly demanding field of early childhood as set out by the Australian Children's Education and Care Quality Authority (ACECQA) and the Education and Care Services National Regulations by participating in an interview. This may be conducted individually or as a group, at the discretion of Victoria University. Further information can be found at: https://www.acecqa.gov.au/.
Traineeship applicants must complete to determine suitability:
* Pre-training Review (PTR)
* Literacy and numeracy assessment
* must be employed as an apprentice
* must have an active Epsilon number before commencing the course.
* Students will also be required to demonstrate they have the capacity to work with children and families in the highly demanding field of early childhood as set out by the Australian Children's Education and Care Quality Authority (ACECQA) and the Education and Care Services National Regulations by participating in an interview. This may be conducted individually or as a group, at the discretion of Victoria University. Further information can be found at: https://www.acecqa.gov.au/
VDSS (Vocational Education and Training Delivered to Secondary Schools) applicants are expected to:
* complete a Pre-training Review (PTR)
* have literacy and numeracy skills at Year 10 or Australian Core Skills Framework Level 3 literacy and Level 2 numeracy and will be assessed through consultation with the relevant school.
Practical Placement:
For employment and practical placement purposes, this vocational sector typically requires:
* a current and satisfactory Police Record Check
* Working with Children Check
* Immunisation
Failure to provide the required documents in the timeframe specified by the Course Coordinator means you will be unable to undertake a practical placement in a workplace and therefore not eligible to progress in this course.
The following are suggested sites you could visit to obtain these checks:
* Police Record Check - http://www.police.vic.gov.au/content.asp?Document_ID=274
* Working with Children Check - http://www.workingwithchildren.vic.gov.au/
It is an industry expectation that those engaging with young children in an early childhood setting are fully immunised. Any students electing not to disclose their immunisation status, conscientious object to vaccinations or have a contraindication, must contact the placement coordinator to discuss the impact this may have on their capacity to undertake placement. Incomplete immunisation may impact your course progression due to a lack of appropriate placement opportunities.
Information about the immunisations can be found online at https://www.health.gov.au/health-topics/immunisation

There are many ways you can start your education journey at VU. Pathways offer an easy transition between courses at different levels, so that you can start with a certificate and progress right through to postgraduate study.

Find out more about pathways and credits.

Use our credit calculator to find out how much credit you could get towards your course, based on your previous study.

You may be able to complete your qualification sooner through formal recognition of your existing skills. This is known as Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL).

To receive RPL, we assess your previous work, education and life experiences against recognised qualifications. Applications for RPL can be made prior to enrolling.

Call us on 1300 TAFE VP (1300 823 387) to discuss RPL options with the course manager.

Credit Calculator

Find out how much credit you could get towards your course, based on your previous study.

CALCULATE YOUR CREDIT

How to apply

Prior to enrolment, all applicants will be required to complete a literacy and numeracy assessment to assist with determining eligibility and to identify learning support needs.

Available start dates:
  • 3 February 2025 (Footscray Nicholson, Werribee)
  • 4 February 2025 (Melton/Sunbury – supported by DICE)
  • 24 February 2025 (Traineeship)

Before you apply

Before starting your application, please read through the step-by-step VU Polytechnic application process to make sure you have all the necessary documents and information ready to successfully complete your application.

Before applying, you should consider whether you also want to apply for:

Apply direct to VU

Direct applications are due on 27 January 2025 for our next intake which starts on 3 February 2025.

Apply direct to VU

Already a VU student?

If you are already a VU student, apply direct to VU using our Admissions centre to transfer into this course. Remember it’s best to be accepted into your new course before withdrawing from your current one.

After you apply

  • It’s important to check for emails from us (which may go to your spam/junk folder).
  • Complete any requests for information by the given dates, otherwise your application may not be considered

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Get help

Please note that if changes to this course occur, VU will notify students as soon as possible.

At Victoria University, we aim to display accurate and complete course information online. However, we are unable to guarantee that every course change is currently displayed. You may contact the University directly on +61 3 9919 6100 to confirm the most up-to-date course fees, pathways and credit transfer, recognition of prior learning, admission and enrolment procedures, examinations and services available to our students.