"Completing this qualification with First Door is life changing."

Joining the Early Childhood profession is your first step into a rewarding and future-proof career, with so many opportunities ahead of you.

This is Australia’s nationally recognised qualification for people starting their career as an educator. Once you've enrolled in this course, you are able to seek employment as an educator in Early Childhood Education and Care services, and Outside School Hours Care services. 

By enrolling with First Door, you will be supported to grow in confidence, knowledge and skills as an Early Childhood educator - so you can be a part of seeing each child flourish.

 

Online + workplace learning

First Door students receive an online course for each unit of study, combined with practical workplace learning and assessment. 

Practical learning and experience in the workplace

The Certificate lll in Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) course supports you to put your online learning into practice, with the required practical workplace experience.

*PLEASE NOTE: You are required to complete a minimum of 160 hours in a licensed Early Childhood Education and Care service to complete the new CHC30121 Certificate lll in ECEC course. These hours can be completed either in paid employment or on work placement (voluntary workplace experience).

You need to hold a current blue card to be a paid employee or volunteer in an Early Childhood service.

What will I learn?

Over this course of 17 units you will:

1. Be empowered to interact positively with children, families and colleagues in an Early Childhood and Care setting, using the approved learning framework to guide practice.

2. Gain the skills to support children to:

• feel good about themselves and to treat others with care and respect
• feel like they belong - to be connected with others and contribute to their world
• have wellbeing - to manage their feelings, to have friends and to be healthy
• become confident and involved learners
• be able to communicate effectively with others
  
  

Recognised Prior Learning (RPL)

Find out full information about the RPL process here

Career pathway

The Certificate lll in Early Childhood Education and Care qualification is the entry requirement to enrol in the CHC50121 Diploma of Early Childhood Education and Care qualification. 

Enrol now and get started!

First Door supports new students to enrol and get started as soon as you are ready. 
Complete our online enrolment:

The First Door difference

At First Door, we believe each child deserves your best. So that makes us super-committed to supporting you with inspired learning, helpful resources and mentoring. 

Download our EDUCATORS COURSE GUIDE

for full information about course options and studying with us.

 

We inspire and support you with:

A personal mentor to support your learning

You will have a regular mentoring meeting with your mentor to discuss each current unit, within specific workplace locations. Meetings are arranged online or by phone if you are out of these locations.
Your First Door mentor is well experienced within the profession, and are a qualified trainer and assessor. 

Inspiring online resources with flexible access

You'll have flexible access to inspiring resources that showcase best practice as an Educator. Each unit has an online course with engaging video tutorials, videos, resources and printables.  This mean you can access, learn and revisit information in your own time and pace.

Structured or Flexi training plans

Our Structured plan provides students with a monthly timetable to work through course unit/s each month. The structured training plan has unit start dates and due dates to assist students to stay focused and motivated. 

The Flexi plan suits students that are self-motivated and prefer flexibility to set their own assesment due dates.

Workplace related assessment

First Door has designed assessment tasks for each unit of study to make your assessment relevant to workplace experiences - so you become confident and capable as an educator. You will have access to your student portal to complete, submit and receive feedback on your assessment tasks online. First Door students track their assessment progress and Certificate lll in ECEC course progress through this student portal.

Read some of our student testimonials here

Course duration

Part time course

The part time course is for most students with more limited time available for study, and is generally paced for you to complete one unit per month. 

Part time students generally complete this course in 17 months, although you can progress faster or take up to 2 years to complete this qualification if needed.

Full time course option

Our full time course suits e.g. school leavers or people on a career change that are able to commit to completing two units each month, with the required workplace hours. 

Full time students generally complete this course in 9 months, although you can switch to part time study and take up to 2 years to complete this qualification if needed. Contact us to find out more information about our nine month, full time course.

How much will this course cost?

QLD Government subsidised training options

First Door provides Queensland Government subsidised training options - for eligible students completing the Certificate lll in Early Childhood Education and Care course.

1. School based traineeship - $0 course fees
2. Free traineeships for under 25s - $0 course fees
3. Traineeships for over 25s - Student contribution fees are charged at non-concessional or concessional rates
4. Certificate 3 Guarantee - Student contribution fees are charged. Total course fees for 17 units is just $45.05.

For more information and to check eligibility requirements:

'Easy-pay' monthly fee payment option

First Door has an 'easy-pay' monthly fee payment system. The terms and arrangements are detailed in your personalised fees payment agreement with First Door. An automatic monthly payment of your course fees is paid from your debit or credit card. 
For students that are not eligible for Government funding, the fee is $230 per unit.

Government financial support to study

Students enriolling into this course CHC30121 Certificate lll in Early Childhood Education and Care with First Door may be eligible to receive Student payments for:

• 'full time' study: is expected to take 20 hours per week, for a total of 720 hours over 36 weeks (8.5 months)
• 'part time' study: is expected to take 10 hours per week, for a total of 720 hours over 72 weeks (18 months)

Contact Services Australia for more information about Student Payments

Enrol here: your next step towards a rewarding career