Working with young people can be a delight. It’s no wonder so many adults nowadays seek a career in this richly rewarding industry, making a genuine difference in the lives of children from all backgrounds across Australia. Of the many career options supporting children, most require a formal qualification. Today, we’re exploring two popular courses with Insight Training that help our students qualify for work in childcare or schools, helping you understand the right course in line with your career aspirations. If you want to work with children and make a difference in their lives and development, there is more than one course to help you gain the correct vocational skills. Selecting the right one is critical to quickly entering your career path of choice.
Begin by asking yourself the following question:
Where do I want to support children – in a daycare centre, at home or in a school?
While all these facilities support young children, they focus on different age groups and provide age-appropriate care.
- Daycare Centre workers support children aged five or under while their parents or carers are working. This is often called ‘long day care’, with centres offering support between 8 am and 6 pm. The most common jobs in a daycare centre include being an educator or childcare worker; these are the same roles. The responsibilities include encouraging play-based learning, support with eating and toileting, helping to settle and rest, reading books, and doing basic number and letter work with preschoolers.
- Some adults want to provide care for young children at home and choose to create their own Family Day Care business. Again, the typical age range for children in this type of care setting is a few months to five years, although children can also be 6 to 12 years (using family day care for before and after-school care, for example). Key responsibilities are similar to those of a childcare worker, as you help children learn fundamental life skills like feeding themselves, engaging in social play, crafting, and enjoying other educational activities.
- Aside from their teacher, primary-aged children have the help of a Learning Support Assistant in schools. Also known as a Teacher’s Aide, the Learning Support Assistant might help a whole class or an individual child with learning difficulties. They are less common in high schools, although students with specific challenges might be assigned a Learning Support Assistant to help them during their time in the classroom.
Once you understand the type of role you want to embark on and in what setting, you are a step closer to finding the right qualification to help you achieve your career goals.
Working in Childcare or Family Day Care Courses
CHC30121 Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care
If you are considering working with children aged five and under in a traditional daycare centre or family daycare setting, this course is the perfect entry-level qualification for you.
Much more than a nappy changer, today’s daycare centre staff provide critical guidance to children during a stage when their brain is developing at a rate of knots! Only part of the role involves tending to their basic needs – the rest is about teaching them core foundational skills on which they can establish a lifetime of learning.
Course title: CHC30121 Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care.
Course summary: Teaches you the skills to care for children, nurture their development and progress their learning in a safe and supportive environment.
Units of Study: 15 core and two electives – topics include supporting children to connect with their natural environment, holistic learning and development, learning through play, food safety and how to provide first aid.
Course duration: On average, the course takes six months to complete.
Entry requirements: Students must be 16 years or older, in good physical and emotional health, and possess ACSF core skills (learning, reading, writing, oral communication, and numeracy).
Learn more about the CHC30121 Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care.
Courses to Help You Work in a School
CHC30221 Certificate III in School Based Education Support
If you want to work with children in a school environment, this entry-level qualification teaches you the essential skills to return to the classroom permanently and support primary-aged children and above with daily learning.
Some school support workers keep groups of primary children on track during their initial journey in formal education. Others support individuals who find classroom-based learning challenging physically or mentally. Plenty of variety is available as a Teacher’s Aide, with opportunities to cover children across a wide range of ages and learning stages.
Course Title: CHC30221 Certificate III in School Based Education Support
Course summary: Develop skills and knowledge to create a comfortable learning environment, implement planned educational programs and contribute to student education.
Units of Study: 10 core and five electives – topics include supporting the development of literacy, numeracy and language skills, working effectively with students and colleagues, and working with diverse people or children with additional needs.
Course duration: On average, the course takes six months to complete.
Entry requirements: Students are preferred to have achieved a minimum School Certificate or equivalent before signing up for the course. You must also be in good health physically and emotionally.
Learn more about the CHC30221 Certificate III in School Based Education Support.
Career Pathways after Completing a Course in Childhood Education or Support
Now that you know which courses to study to qualify for work in childcare or school-based support, you may want to understand all roles available to you after completing your course.
Students with a Certificate III qualification tend to search for these job titles first:
| CHC30121 Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care | CHC30221 Certificate III in School Based Education Support |
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Of course, during your time studying, you may change your focus – perhaps even switching from focusing on childcare to a school-based support role or vice versa.
The great news is that many of the skills are transferable across both these types of work, so you can quickly fill any knowledge gaps by completing another Certificate III-level qualification. What’s even better is that many Certificate III-level qualifications are currently available at WA-based RTOs like Insight Training at a heavily subsidised cost – you may even find yourself studying for free!
Explore our courses
Insight Training is a leading provider of tertiary education courses in WA. Study with us, and you’ll enjoy flexible learning from expert tutors, helping you fast-track towards employment in one of Australia’s fastest-growing sectors.
Ready to learn more? Talk to a Career and Course Advisor today about our School-Based Support and Childhood Education and Care courses.
