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South West TAFE VET DSS

Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care

COURSE CODE
CHC30121
LOCATIONS
SWTAFE Colac campus
SWTAFE Hamilton Campus
SWTAFE Portland Campus
SWTAFE Warrnambool Campus
DELIVERY
Two years. One afternoon a week during the school term plus work placement.
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Course overview
Course requirements
Fees
Next steps

Course overview

Introduction

Do you love working with babies, toddlers and young children? If you're passionate about early learning and want to make a positive impact in the lives of children and their families, this prorgam is a great place to start.

The Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care is part of a two-year VET Delivered to Secondary Students (VET DSS) program. It gives you hands-on experience and the foundational skills needed to provide safe, nurturing, meaningful and inclusive care and education for children from birth to five years.

You'll learn through engaging classroom activities such as role plays, simulations and project-based learning.

What will I learn?

  • How to support the development and wellbeing of children
  • Creating safe, engaging and inclusive learning environments
  • Effective communication with children, families and colleagues
  • Health, safety and legal responsibilities in early childhood education
  • Planning and implementing age-appropriate learning activities

Career Opportunities

  • Early childhood educator
  • Family day care worker
  • Kindergarten or preschool assistant
  • Nanny
  • Out-of-school hours care assistant

Pathways

Once you finish this program, there are a variety of study options to gain more skills for a career in early childhood education. 

At South West TAFE:

On campus, you can study:

Through a traineeship, you can study while working:

At university:

While this program does not provide a direct university pathway, it can provide a foundation to support future study at university with a degree in early childhood education (early years or primary).

Mode of delivery & timetable

SWTAFE Warrnambool campus

Thursday afternoons (1pm - 5pm) during school terms.
You are also required to undertake a minimum of five days of work placement during the program.

SWTAFE Hamilton campus

Tuesday afternoons (1.30pm - 5pm) during school terms.
You are also required to undertake a minimum of five days of work placement during the program.

SWTAFE Colac campus

Wednesday afternoons (1pm - 5pm) during school terms.
You are also required to undertake a minimum of five days of work placement during the program.

SWTAFE Portland campus

Thursday afternoons (1pm - 5pm) during school terms.
You are also required to undertake a minimum of five days of work placement during the program.

For this course, you will need to:

  • wear flat, closed-toe shoes and clothing suitable for program activities

Course requirements

Essential requirements

Essential requirements for the early childhood industry

To undertake placement or work in this industry, it’s important to understand the inherent requirements of working in this sector and be aware you may be required to:

  • Clean and dispose of human waste in early years settings (e.g., changing nappies, assisting with toileting)
  • Have close and physical contact with children as part of daily care routines
  • Be exposed to trauma, distressing situations, or emotional challenges
  • Be able to undertake physical work involving lifting, standing for long periods, or cardio activity

Entrance requirements & pre-requisites

  • You must be enrolled in a secondary school course.
  • You must be in year 11 to commence the two-year program.
  • If you are over 18 years of age, you must provide a Working with Children Check.

Partial completion

This course is partial completion only. Upon completion of the program, you will receive a Statement of Attainment listing the successful units completed. You may be able to use the Statement of Attainment to receive credit towards a full qualification, reducing the time and cost of further study.

Units offered

Click here to download units offered in this course

VCE contribution

Credit to ATAR score

Students undertaking this VET DSS program are eligible for credit of up to four VCE VET units on their VCE Statement of Results: two units at Unit 1-2 level and a Unit 3-4 sequence. Students may be entitled to 10% increment towards their VCE.

VCE Vocational Major

Students undertaking this VET DSS program through the VCE Vocational Major stream will need to complete a minimum of 180 nominal hours of a VET DSS program over a 2-year period.

Partial completion

This course is partial completion only. Upon completion of the program, you will receive a Statement of Attainment listing the successful units completed. You may be able to use the Statement of Attainment to receive credit towards a full qualification, reducing the time and cost of further study.

Fees

Course costs

Any costs and fees associated with completing this course will managed directly with your school. Please contact your school for further information.

Resource and/or materials costs

Some courses require specific resources or materials necessary for your study e.g. tools of the trade, uniform, etc. Please check with your school's VET DSS coordinator to determine resource costs applicable to you.

Next steps

How to get started

There are 5 steps to applying for a VET DSS program with SWTAFE:

  1. Look at your options - chat with your school's VET DSS Coordinator and your parents/guardians about a program that will suit you.
  2. Apply - complete a short online application form
  3. Complete a Language, Literacy and Numeracy Assessment online
  4. Chat to our team - your SWTAFE teacher or course specialist will contact you to discuss the course in more detail and ensure the right units of study are selected for you.
  5. Enrol - once your school approves your VET DSS application, you will be enrolled in the qualification at SWTAFE.