COURSE OVERVIEW
The Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care is an introductory course for those looking to start a career in early childhood education or childcare and is the minimum requirement to work in the industry.
Through a combination of classroom and practical learning and work placements, you will gain the skills and expertise to work as a childcare and education provider. You will gain an understanding of the legal and policy requirements, learn to engage with children and their parents, learn to facilitate play and stimulate creativity and growth, and foster children’s development and wellbeing.
The Certificate 3 in childcare is delivered from our Burwood campus in Sydney. The course is conducted in a classroom-based delivery, which is trainer and assessor-led combined with self-paced learning and scheduled visits for work placement assessments in child care centres.
Career Opportunities and Pathways
There is strong demand for qualified early childhood educators and childcare professionals across a range of roles. Upon successful completion of the Certificate 3 you will be qualified to work as a:
- Early childhood educator
- Family day carer
- Nanny
- Out of school hour care assistant
- Recreation assistant
- Kindergarten assistant
To further progress your qualifications, you can enrol the Diploma in Early Childhood Education and Care, which will open up more senior management and supervisory roles in the childcare and early education sector.
Course Structure
The Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care is based on the National Quality Framework and Early Years Framework and emphasises play-based learning. The course will cover all essential components required to start work in childcare and early childhood education. This includes:
- Childcare legislation and policy
- Working with children from other cultures
- Keeping children safe and healthy
- Caring and nurturing for children
- Child engagement and behavioural support
- Child learning and development
- Professional practice in childcare
The course combines face-to-face classroom learning with practical work placements. New Era Institute can help you find placements through our extensive network of industry contacts. If you already work in child care, we encourage placement with your existing employer and can work with your employer to ensure they meet the requirements necessary for assessment.
ENTRY REQUIREMENTS
There are no specified entry requirements for this qualification specified within the Resources and Infrastructure Industry Training Package.
Noting this, New Era Institute requires persons who undertake this course to:
For International Students
- Have attained the age of 18 years or over
- Demonstrate good command of written and spoken English
- Verified evidence of IELTS Level 5.5 (no band less than 5.5) or equivalent
- Have completed an equivalent secondary schooling level of a Higher School Certificate (year 12 in Australian schools) or can demonstrate suitable work or life experience
- Meet the Student Visa (Sub-class 500) requirements
COURSE STRUCTURE
The CHC30113 Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care is delivered using the course structure outlined below:
Cluster 1 – Legislation and Policy in Childcare
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- CHCLEG001 Work legally and ethically
- CHCECE009 Use an approved learning framework to guide practice
HLTAID004 Provide an emergency first aid response in an education and care setting
Cluster 2 – Work effectively with children from other cultures
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- CHCECE001 Develop cultural competence
- CHCDIV002 Promote Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander cultural safety
Cluster 3 – Keeping Children Safe and Healthy
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- CHCECE002 Ensure the health and safety of children
- CHCPRT001 Identify and respond to children and young people at risk
Cluster 4 – Caring and Nurturing for Children
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- CHCECE004 Promote and provide healthy food and drinks
- CHCECE005 Provide care for babies and toddlers
- CHCECE003 Provide care for children
Cluster 5 – Child Engagement and Behaviour Support
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- CHCECE007 Develop positive and respectful relationships with children
- CHCECE006 Support behaviour of children and young people
Cluster 6 – Child Learning and Development
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- CHCECE010 Support the holistic development of children in early childhood
- CHCECE011 Provide experiences to support children’s play and learning
- CHCECE013 Use information about children to inform practice
Cluster 7 – Professional Practice in Childcare
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- CHCECE016 Establish and maintain a safe and healthy environment for children
- CHCPRT003 Work collaboratively to maintain an environment safe for children and young people
- HLTWHS001 Participate in work health and safety
COURSE DURATION
The duration of the course is 50 weeks (40 weeks of study and 10 weeks of break between terms).
The course is designed to be delivered in 4 terms – each term is 10 weeks.
COURSE OUTLINE
The Course is conducted in a classroom-based delivery which is trainer and assessor led combined with self-paced learning and scheduled visits for work placement assessments in the Child Care Centres.
Written learning activities will reinforce theoretical knowledge and practical skills in the workplace where learning will be placed into context. Visits by New Era Institute trainers and assessors to the student’s workplace (Child Care Centre) will be undertaken during the course.
The primary purpose of workplace visits is to observe the student performing the practical activities, undertake assessments and collect workplace evidence. The course is designed in clusters in a way that allows a logical progression. Students will be provided with professionally presented reference material to assist them to develop their knowledge of the subject.
International students
Students will attend 15 hours per week face to face training sessions at the New Era Institute campus, plus 5 hours online content including assessments. Students must participate in 260 hours of work placement and visits by New Era Institute assessors to the student’s workplace (Child Care Centre) will be undertaken during the course.
Exit Point
Students must complete all their assessments, work placement hours as required and deemed competent to gain their full qualification.
To be marked competent (C ), theory and practical assessments are to be marked satisfactory AND the logbook is to be provided.
Failure to comply with one of the above, the result of a unit is NYC (Not Yet Competent).
CAMPUS LOCATION
Classroom sessions and practical activities (simulation) will be delivered at :
New Era Institute – Suite 1, Level 2 – 14 Railway Parade, Burwood NSW 2134.
Work Placement: at the childcare centres.
ASSESSMENT METHOD/TOOLS
The assessment is conducted using a combination of realistic workplace tasks, projects, knowledge tests, response to case studies, observations and feedback from supervisors (third-party reports). The following provides a brief explanation of the assessment methods that are to be applied:
Demonstration. The student is required to demonstrate a range of skills whilst being observed by, or interacting with, the assessor. These activities will be clearly explained and always relate to duties relevant to the workplace (Child Care Centre). These activities allow the assessor to observe the student apply their knowledge and skills during practical activity.
Written Report / Case Study / Journal. The student is required to produce a range of written records or reports based on real workplace scenarios or based on a case study that is provided by the assessor.
Project. The student is required to undertake a range of projects in the context of his or her own workplace or on a case study that is provided by the assessor. A project will require the creation of various workplace documents (reports, research, Policies and Procedures).
Knowledge Test. The student is required to undertake a number of written knowledge tests over the course of his or her study. These tests will be provided to the student by the assessor at an arranged time and the student will be required to individually complete the test. The student may research their answers from the course learning materials and notes.
Workplace Supervisor Report. Workplace supervisors will be asked to provide feedback about the student’s performance during the 260 hours of work placement activities.
WORK PLACEMENT
Students in the Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care are required to participate in 260 hours of practical work placement within an accredited early childhood education and care service.
Noting this, the New Era Institute course is delivered during 50 weeks (40 weeks’ tuition and 10 weeks’ break).
The work placement is to be completed in a block mode period during the course.
All students are required to maintain a work placement log book in order to record their worked hours and the age groups care was provided for.
A student who is already working in the early childhood sector as an educator in centre based or family day care are encouraged to use their existing workplace to complete these practical placement hours providing it meets the requirement’s necessary to conduct an assessment.
Students who are not already working in early childhood may nominate an accredited early childhood education and care service for their practical placement. New Era Institute can also assist students who need to find an alternate placement using its network in the early childhood sector at additional cost.
In all cases, New Era Institute will engage with the nominated workplace to ensure that it will provide a suitable environment to gather practical experience across all tasks outlined in the units of competency. New Era Institute will need to establish a formal Work Placement Agreement with the nominated workplace.
New Era Institute also requires a minimum level of supervision for students, a safe working environment and will need to undertake regular visits to the workplace to undertake a practical assessment of the student performing education and care tasks. A student should note that unless they have established other arrangements with their employer, practical placement is performed as unpaid work.
CLASS AND WORKPLACE REQUIREMENTS
Students are required to present to the class in neat, casual attire suitable for participation in practical activities. Specific clothing requirements for practical placement will be discussed during the orientation in Day 1; however, at a minimum, a student will require plain black pants (knee-length shorts are acceptable – track pants or leggings are prohibited) and suitable closed toe shoes.
Students will require basic stationery and a notebook according to their own study preferences during classroom learning sessions and their own self-paced study. Access to a computer which has an internet connection is recommended to assist students to undertake study and research in response to some assessment tasks.
Students may bring portable electronic devices to classroom sessions such as small laptops or tablets if they wish. Students are advised that no provision will be made to charge these devices in the classroom and charging or power extension leads are not to be used in the classroom.
WORKING WITH CHILDREN CHECK
All persons working in an early childhood service in NSW must have:
Working with Children Check from the NSW Office of the Children’s Guardian – Click here
RECOGNITION OF PRIOR LEARNING (RPL)
Applicants can apply for recognition of their existing skills and knowledge that are relevant to the units of competency within the course. These skills and knowledge may have been obtained through workplace training or experience and may reduce the number of units required to be completed during the course.
International students
The acknowledgment of skills and knowledge that have been gained through training, work, or life experiences into formal competencies. The assessment of RPL/credit transfer is made from the evidence provided against the units of competency (elements and performance criteria) as described in the relevant endorsed Training Package.
If RPL/credit transfer is approved, the student’s COE will be adjusted to reflect any reduction in the period of study the student is enrolled in. (The study load will remain 20 hours per week as per your visa requirements).
FEES AND OTHER CHARGES
International students
For more information about the tuition fees and other charges, please click on Fees and Charges.
