Seeking a career change
Shape the future.
Nurture the hearts and minds of our children by becoming a qualified Early Childhood Educator.
What an Early Childhood Qualification Means
Earning a nationally recognised Early Childhood Education qualification means you’re qualified to guide young children through their most important years of development. It opens doors to meaningful roles in childcare centres and lays the foundation for a lifelong career built on care, education, and impact.
Description of Qualification
Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) qualifications prepare learners to work with children from birth to six years of age in regulated early learning environments. These qualifications focus on supporting children’s wellbeing, learning and development through play-based experiences, safe routines, and inclusive practices.
The CHC30121 Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care is the minimum qualification required to work in childcare services across Australia. This qualification prepares learners to support children’s wellbeing, learning, and development in early years settings. It provides strong foundations for those starting their career or returning to the workforce.
Both qualifications include real workplace experience to ensure graduates are confident, job-ready, and able to meet National Quality Framework (NQF) requirements.
Course Duration
12 - 24 months
Delivery Modes
Supported Self-Paced Learning
Blended Learning
Structured placement in an approved Early Childhood Service
Cost
From $3,984*
Subsidised training for SA Residents
Who should do this qualification?
This qualification is ideal for people who want to begin or continue a career in Childcare for a variety of reasons including:
Skills Developed
Learners will gain practical and essential skills to work effectively in ECEC settings, including:
Units of Competency
Delivery Modes
Your learning journey is fully tailored from the moment you begin. We work with you to map out the approach that best suits your goals, schedule, and experience. Whether face-to-face, self-paced, online, or blended, you’re in control of how you learn.
Ideal for remote learners or those balancing busy work and life commitments. Gain access to all the resources you need, including a comprehensive simulated digital workplace. Enjoy optional online classes, recorded videos and lectures, discussion groups, and more—so you can learn at your own pace with full support and engagement.
Perfect for learners who will blend self-paced learning with a dynamic classroom environment. Train directly with our renowned facilitators, work in groups and collaborate on real activities in a lively, interactive setting. Depending on your pathway, you be undertaking training at our Elizabeth (SA) campus, at your school, or at a Childcare centre that employs you.
In conjunction with the delivery modes above, you may be incorporating
As part of the CHC30121 Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care, you are required to complete a minimum of 120 hours of work in an approved early childhood education and care service.
This workplace-based experience enables you to demonstrate your skills and competencies in a real work environment, applying the knowledge gained during training while working under appropriate supervision. You will engage directly with children, families, and educators, and collect the practical evidence required to meet assessment requirements.
Course Features
Course Duration
This program is designed to be completed by a typical learner within 18 months (including holidays). The actual number of hours required for students to complete the course will vary depending on the individual students’ level of existing relevant knowledge, skills and experience.
Delivery period (duration of the course):
75 weeks (including holidays) divided into 6 terms
62 weeks (excluding 13 weeks of holidays)
Contact hours:
15 hours/week (face-to-face classroom and placement)
5 hours/week (Distance learning)*
1240 hours (20 hours/week x 62 weeks)
Every participant will have a customised Study Plan tailored for their needs.
Cost
Entry Requirements
Participants without a Certificate IV qualification or higher may need to complete a Language, Literacy, and Numeracy (LLN) assessment. This assessment is designed to identify any support you might need in key areas such as learning, reading, writing, oral communication, and numeracy, ensuring that tailored assistance is available to enhance your core skills.
Please note that all participants applying for government funded training may be required to sit an LLN assessment regardless of qualifications or experience held.
Pre-Enrollment Questionnaire
Mandatory Work Placement
A minimum of 160 hours work placement with children 0-23 months of age required. Further hours will be completed with children 2-6years of age.
AITT will endeavour to assist you in finding work placements, however finding work placement is your responsibility and AITT cannot guarantee you will attain work placement.
To successfully complete this qualification, a minimum of 160 hours and maximum of 280 hours of vocational placement within a registered and approved childcare centre is required at the Cert III level.
Learners are required to arrange access to a suitable child care centre to complete their assessments. AiTT will provide learners a Vocational Placement Pack that outlines all the requirements for finding a suitable Vocational Placement Provider that will facilitate the required workplace assessments and allow the learner to complete the required vocational placement hours.
Learners are recommended to initiate contact with potential vocational placement providers as soon as enrolment is confirmed to allow sufficient time for AiTT to confirm the workplace’s safety and suitability.
The vocational placement will be conducted in accordance with these documents:
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Vocational Placement Provider/Supervisor Information Pack
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Vocational Placement Student Information Pack
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Vocational Placement Coordinator Information Pack
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Vocational Placement Agreement
Pre-requisites for Vocational Placement: First Aid Unit and Police Check, Blue Card or Working With Children Check
First Aid Unit
AITT does not deliver the first aid unit included in this qualification. Students are required to complete this unit through an external provider prior to commencing their placement.
Police Check, Blue Card or Working With Children Check
This is a requirement prior to students starting vocational placement. Costs associated with completing required Police Check, Blue Card or Working With Children Check will be shouldered by the student.
Qualification Pathways
Resources Required
For successful completion of this course, students will need ongoing access to:
A computer with an Internet access with a reliable speed of at least 5mbps
Google Chrome (recommended browser)
MS Word, PowerPoint and Excel or equivalent applications.
Adobe Acrobat Reader or equivalent application
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Tutorial Documents for navigating Canvas
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A tailored training Plan
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Learner Guides for each unit of competency
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Assessment Workbooks for each unit of competency
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Relevant templates for projects and other assessments
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Class session schedules
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Supplementary learning resources, handouts and templates
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Vocational Placement Pack
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Tailored and Specific Resources for Assessment
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Learner Guides
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Assessment Workbook
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Resources (Templates and Extra Handouts)
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A simulated environment in cases where the student does not have access to a workplace
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WHS templates (including risk management resources)
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Access to relevant legislations, acts, regulations, standards, and codes
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Access to relevant workplace and organisational policies and procedures including, but not limited to, the following:
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Organisational strategic and operation plans
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Workplace documentation, resources and reference materials
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Policies and procedures for managing meetings
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Relevant workplace/office equipment, supplies, and resources
Recognition of Prior Learning
Ready to Enrol?
Select from the list below to begin your enrolment journey
