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Education

Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care

CHC30121

Transform yourself into a valued and capable early childhood education team member. Graduate industry-ready and fully equipped with the knowledge, skills, and confidence to help young children thrive.
  • Flexible payment options
  • Study to fit into your routine
  • Nationally recognised accreditation
  • Start studying as soon as you enrol
  • No exams, ever.
Start studying today
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Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care

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We speak with students everyday who aren’t sure if this is the right course or institution for them. Here are some quick links to help you decide.

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  • Payment Plan

    Deposit Required

    Upfront Cost

    $200.00 due today
    and $60.24 pay weekly

    • Pay in 78 instalments
    • Save 2%
    • Total course cost: $4,899.00 was $4,999.00
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  • Enrol now, Pay Later

    No Deposit Required

    Upfront Cost

    $0 due today
    and $62.31 pay fortnightly

    • Pay in 65 instalments interest free
    • Save 19%
    • Total course cost: $4,050.00 was $4,999.00
    • Paid fortnightly, over the length of your course with
    • You or partner can apply, full or part time employment required
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  • Pay Upfront

    Best Value

    Upfront Cost

    $3,250.00 $4,999.00

    • One off payment
    • Save 35%
    • Total course cost: $3,250.00 was $4,999.00
    • Get the best value when you pay upfront
    • Pay in 4 with
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Speak with an advisor to discuss your payment options. Call 1300 853 033.

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Start now, pay later with a zero-interest payment plan. A credit check is required, and either you or a family member at your address can apply. You’ll complete the application on Payright’s site.

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Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care

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Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care

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Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care
Start studying today

Intro to Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care

Be a Safe Place for Your Students

This nationally recognised CHC30121 Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care will transform your love of teaching and working with children into a rewarding career. You will learn the skills, knowledge, and experience to support the health, safety and development of children and to plan activities to promote children’s learning through play.

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Job Outcomes

Explore More Careers

Job Skills

  • Handling toddler & babies
  • First aid
  • Work with diverse people
  • Workplace health and safety

Spend your time studying and let Open Colleges organise your work placement for you. In partnership with leading provider SkilTrak, we have introduced Guaranteed Work Placement to provide you with real-world experience in your dream career that's close to home.

Learn More
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Course breakdown

What you’ll learn in this course

In this qualification, you will learn the fundamentals of early childhood development, education and care. Transform yourself into a skilled and confident early childcare worker, and make a big impact on your young students.

Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care

CHCECE055
Meet legal and ethical obligation's in childrens education and care
  • Identify legal and ethical obligations. 
  • Meet legal and ethical obligations. 
  • Contribute to workplace improvements. 
CHCECE056
Work effectively in childrens education and care
  • Source and use information on work in children’s education and care. 
  • Work within service requirements. 
  • Use effective work practices. 
  • Work collaboratively. 
  • Develop personal professional practice.
CHCECE036
Provide experiences to support childrens play and learning
  • Create environments for play. 
  • Support children’s agency through play and learning. 
  • Review and evaluate play opportunities. 
CHCECE038
Observe children to inform practice
  • Observe and interact with children. 
  • Seek information from secondary sources. 
  • Record and communicate information. 
  • Analyse and interpret information and observations. 
  • Contribute to curriculum planning. 
CHCECE035
Support the holistic learning and development of children
  • Support physical development. 
  • Support social development. 
  • Support emotional development. 
  • Support cognitive development. 
  • Support communication development. 
  • Support holistic learning and development. 
5/ modules
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Let’s match you with the right career

Take the Quiz Now
Open Colleges proved to be an excellent choice for my course! The course material was totally relevant, delivered in a manner that was su...
Open Colleges proved to be an excellent choice for my course! The course material was totally relevant, delivered in a manner that was sufficiently challenging to provide value to me as a...
Luis R.
Education Graduate, November 2022
Read more
I really enjoyed the flexibility of studying online. With two young kids, it meant I could fit study in around them and their needs. Stud...
I really enjoyed the flexibility of studying online. With two young kids, it meant I could fit study in around them and their needs. Student support was always available, and everyone was...
Erin R.
Education Graduate, July 2021
Read more

Studying with Open Colleges

Study designed to
fit into your routine

What ever your reason for study, our courses are
designed to fit into your routine. 

  • No exams, ever.

    We mean it. Instead, assessments range from open book multiple choice quizzes, portfolios, videos & written assessments

  • Flexible study to fit into your routine

    Study anywhere at any time with 24/7 access to your units.

  • A learning platform optimized for online study

    Our courses are curated to maintain engagement across video, written content, assignments & audio.

When can you start? Anytime you like!

There are no start and finish dates, no semesters, so no need to wait. Just enrol and start the path to your new life whenever you’re ready!

Envision your routine while studying with Open Colleges

How quickly do you want to finish your course?

  • 18 months
  • 12 months
Learn more about online study
  • Daily routine
  • 07:00 am - 08:00 am

    Coffee + Study
  • 08:00 am - 09:00 am

    Morning routine + commute
  • 09:00 am - 01:00 pm

    Work
  • 01:00 pm - 02:00 pm

    Lunch + Study
  • 02:00 pm - 05:00 pm

    Work
  • 05:00 pm - 06:30 pm

    Evening routine
  • 06:30 pm - 07:30 pm

    Study session
  • 07:30 pm - 08:30 pm

    Break
  • 08:30 pm - 09:30 pm

    Study session
  • 09:30 pm - onwards

    Relax

Study for a minimum 27 hours per week to complete modules in 12 months

  • Daily routine
  • 07:00 am - 08:00 am

    Coffee + Study
  • 08:00 am - 09:00 am

    Morning routine + commute
  • 09:00 am - 05:00 pm

    Work
  • 05:00 pm - 06:30 pm

    Evening routine
  • 06:30 pm - 07:30 pm

    Study session
  • 07:30 pm - 08:00 pm

    Break
  • 08:00 pm - 09:00 pm

    Study session
  • 09:00 pm - onwards

    Relax

Study for a minimum 18 hours per week to complete modules in 18 months

Your course may include work placement which will be completed in addition to weekly study blocks.

We'll help you study smarter! 

Get in touch for tailored study advice
Our passionate team

Your trainer

Debra Hine
Debra has been involved in Early Childhood Education and Care in various forms for more than 50 years. She initially completed her Mothercraft Nurse training, and began her career caring for babies, toddlers and young children. She then completed a Nursing Diploma and worked in this field, along with providing private care in the homes of families who required support with babies.
Charmaine Debono
Charmaine has worked in early childhood education and care settings for 10 years with children aged 0-5 years. Whilst working as an Early Childhood Educator, she completed a Certificate III and Diploma in Children’s Services, and went on to complete a Bachelor of Education (Birth to 5 years). During her time as an educator, she worked as an assistant educator, room leader and 2nd-in-charge.
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Debra Hine

Education
Debra has been involved in Early Childhood Education and Care in various forms for more than 50 years. She initially completed her Mothercraft Nurse training, and began her career caring for babies, toddlers and young children. She then completed a Nursing Diploma and worked in this field, along with providing private care in the homes of families who required support with babies.
Debra has also completed a Diploma of Children’s Services, a Bachelor of Children’s Services, a Graduate Diploma of Education (Adult and Workplace Learning) and various forms of the Certificate IV/Diploma in Training and Assessment.

Debra worked in a position as a School Services Officer, before she moved on to working as a Fieldworker for Family Day Care for 4 years. 
An opportunity arose to work as an Early Childhood Education and Care Lecturer with TAFESA where she remained until December 2019, having been with them for almost 20 years. Debra is a passionate trainer and assessor and has worked across Certificate III and the Diploma of Early Childhood Education and Care, as well as the Advanced Diploma of Children’s Services, Workplace Assessment and Recognition of Prior Learning.

Debra has now worked as a Trainer and Assessor for over 25 years, with the last 5 years at Open Colleges.

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Charmaine Debono

Education
Charmaine has worked in early childhood education and care settings for 10 years with children aged 0-5 years. Whilst working as an Early Childhood Educator, she completed a Certificate III and Diploma in Children’s Services, and went on to complete a Bachelor of Education (Birth to 5 years). During her time as an educator, she worked as an assistant educator, room leader and 2nd-in-charge.
Charmaine then went on to complete a Certificate IV in Training and Assessment to allow her to share her passion for early childhood education and care with others, where she has now worked as a Trainer and Assessor for Open Colleges for over 10 years.



Frequently Asked Questions

How many hours of work placement do I need to do for Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care

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The course contains a minimum of 200 hours of work placement. Work placement hours can be done part time or as a block, depending on the host organisation's requirements and availability. To find out what the suitable workplaces are for this course, download the course guide.

Will this qualification allow me to work in Kindergartens?

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Yes, one of the career outcomes of this course is working as a Kindergarten assistant. Please note, that some Kindergartens may prefer you to hold a Diploma.

Will I be able to run my own Family Day Care Centre

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Yes, upon completion of this qualification, you can run a Family Day Care Centre as a Director or Manager.

Study and pay, your way

Payment Options

Week to week
Pay as you go
Save 2%
Pay in $200.00 today & then over 78 instalments
$60.24 Weekly
Total course cost: $4,899.00
Save $100.00
was $4,999.00
Fortnightly
From Payright
Save 19%
Pay in 65 instalments over the length of your course.
$62.31 Weekly
Total course cost: $4,050.00
Save $949.00
was $4,999.00
Pay Upfront
Save 35%
$3,250.00 Save $1,749.00
was $4,999.00
Full course breakdown
TBD