DIPLOMA OF EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION AND CARE

Enrol to step up in your career

The CHC50121 Diploma of Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) supports you with the skills and knowledge to step up in your early childhood career.

Career options within early childhood services include becoming a lead educator, educational leader, service leader or Director, or OSHC Coordinator. Achieving this Diploma qualification also open up university pathways.

This Diploma course is the current, nationally recognised qualification for educators and leaders in ECEC services throughout Australia.

The First Door difference: inspire & support

Completing your CHC50121 Diploma of Early Childhood Education and Care with First Door brings you so much more than 'a qualification'.

We believe each child deserves your best, so we are committed to inspiring and supporting you to become confident, knowledgeable and skilled in your mighty role as an Early Childhood professional.

With First Door, you'll be supported to be your best professionally, so you can open up your career opportunities AND make a positive difference.

Inspiring online resources with flexible access

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

Practical, workplace related assessment using our online student portal

The CHC50121 Diploma of Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) course supports you to put your learning into practice, with the practical workplace related assessment tasks. First Door has designed the assessment tasks for each unit of study to support you to become confident and capable as an educator and early childhood leader.

Students gain access, complete and submit assessment tasks online using our student portal. Students also track their course and assessment progress through this student portal.

PLEASE NOTE:

You are required to complete a minimum of 280 hours in a licensed Early Childhood Education and Care service to complete the new CHC50121 Diploma of ECEC course. These hours are usually completed in paid employment.
You need to hold a current blue card to be a paid employee or volunteer in an Early Childhood service.

A personal mentor to support you throughout your course, with:

a welcome meeting with access to our online course, 'Your pedagogy toolkit: for Diploma students'
study support and guidance through email and phone directly with your personal mentor
in-person/workplace/online mentoring meeting for each unit to guide your understanding and practice
helpful feedback and guidance on your assessment work, within two weeks of submitting it

Enrol online now to get started

Entry requirement to enrol

The CHC30113 or CHC30121 Certificate lll in Early Childhood Education and Care* qualification is the entry requirement to enrol into CHC50121 Diploma of Early Childhood Education and Care qualification.
*Note: This must be the qualification released from 2013 with the course code CHC30113, OR the current CHC30121 qualification.

What will you learn?

This Diploma qualification has 15 units, and prepares Early Childhood educators to:

nurture positive and respectful interactions and behaviour
support children's holistic learning, development and wellbeing
use fresh research and specialised knowledge to reflect on and improve own practice
analyse and apply theoretical concepts within their work role
work in partnership with families
provide an inclusive, safe and healthy environment that supports Belonging, Being and Becoming
design and provide a curriculum that meets/exceeds the requirements of the National Quality Framework
maintain compliance in other areas of service operations
develop leadership skills

See our EDUCATORS COURSE GUIDE
for more information about studying with First Door

Read some of our student testimonials here

Course duration

The CHC50121 Diploma of ECEC course is generally paced for you to complete one unit per month.

Generally, students are able to complete this course in 15 months. You are able to progress faster or take up to 2 years to complete this qualification if needed.

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 prefer self-paced learning, and are highly self-motivated. A flexi training plan gives you freedom to set your own assesment due dates, in collaboration with your personal mentor.

Recognised Prior Learning (RPL)

Find out full information about the RPL process here

How much will my course cost?

Queensland Government subsidised training

First Door provides subsidised training options - for eligible students completing the Diploma of Early Childhood Education and Care course:

1. Free apprenticeships for under 25s - $0 course fees
2. Apprenticeships for over 25s - Student contribution fees are charged at non-concessional or concessional rates
3. Higher Level Skills - Student contribution fees are charged. Total course fees for 15 units is just $45.

Easy-pay monthly fee payment option

First Door has an easy-pay monthly fee payment option. An automatic monthly payment of your course fees is paid from your debit or credit card. The terms and arrangements are detailed in your personalised fees payment agreement with First Door.

For students that are not eligible for Government subsidised training, the fee is $230 per unit.

Graduating & Future Doors

Graduation

Graduating with First Door is a celebration event not to be missed. The graduation ceremony is held each year for graduating students.
Each student is able to have up to three guests to share this event.

University Pathway Options

Credit toward the following degree programs is available to graduates of the Diploma course. Students must apply for University entry through QTAC.

Bachelor of Education (Early Childhood)
Bachelor of Education (Primary)
Bachelor of Early Childhood Studies
Bachelor of Social Science