Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care
Haymarket, Australia
Certificate
DURATION
1 year
LANGUAGES
English
PACE
Full time
APPLICATION DEADLINE
EARLIEST START DATE
Jan 2026
TUITION FEES
AUD 11,700 *
STUDY FORMAT
Blended
* pay-by-month | $10,960 - pay-by-term
If you love working with children, this course prepares you for a rewarding career as an educator in early childhood education. It is an entry-level qualification for the early childhood industry, perfect for individuals from diverse backgrounds, regardless of their previous experience and skills.
Our practical approach to learning, blending classroom teaching with a supervised work placement, ensures you graduate job-ready. Throughout the course, you will learn how to support the well-being and development of children aged from birth to 6 years. You will create fun experiences to support children’s play and learning, acquire first aid skills and understand workplace health and safety practices. You will also have the skills and knowledge to make sound decisions aligned with organisational policies and procedures.
As a graduate, you will have the skills and knowledge to meet the requirements of the Education and Care Services National Regulations and the National Quality Standards. These abilities will empower you to shine as a dedicated educator in early childhood education settings.
Work in a high-demand industry
Start a rewarding career in the growing early childhood education industry as a qualified Certificate III level educator
Career-ready training
Training in classrooms filled with early childhood education resources and a supervised 160-hour work placement in an early childcare setting will prepare you to be job-ready.
Pathway to further studies
For those seeking additional study, this course is a pathway to the Diploma of Early Childhood Education and Care, offering more career and professional development opportunities.
Study Pathways
Completing the Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care will open a study pathway into our Diploma of Early Childhood Education and Care.
- A strong passion for child development and care.
- Good communication skills and ability to speak, read and write in English. These skills will allow you to communicate effectively with children and their families.
- Sufficient physical capabilities are required for a role in the early childhood education industry, which involves physical tasks like lifting children, bending, and kneeling.
- Capacity to empathise and remain calm and supportive in challenging situations.
Building on ALG’s strong track record in Early Childhood Education and Care, we are excited to announce the introduction of a 20% tuition fee scholarship for new international students starting an ALG Early Childhood Education and Care course in any intake in 2026.
This scholarship is open to applications received from today onwards and applies to the full duration of the program (including packaged ALG courses). Eligible courses are:
- Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care
- Diploma of Early Childhood Education and Care
This 20% scholarship will help more students access ALG’s high-quality training and support Australia’s growing demand for skilled early childhood educators.
Graduates of the Diploma of Early Childhood Education and Care may also be eligible for entry into the second year of Ikon’s Bachelor of Early Childhood Education. Eligible applicants may receive course credit for up to 66 credit points.
The course is made up of 17 units of competency, consisting of 15 core units and 2 elective units.
- Participate in workplace health and safety
- Promote innovation in team environments
- Provide First Aid in an education and care setting
- Work with diverse people
- Support children to connect with the natural environment
- Nurture babies and toddlers
- Support the holistic learning and development of children
- Develop positive and respectful relationships with children
- Work effectively in children’s education and care
- Use an approved learning framework to guide practice
- Meet legal and ethical obligations in children’s education and care
- Observe children to inform practice
- Provide experiences to support children’s play and learning
- Support children’s health, safety and wellbeing
- Support inclusion and diversity
- Identify and respond to children and young people at risk
- Encourage understanding of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples’ cultures
Curious about what roles in the industry you can apply for upon completing your Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care? Here’s a list of career opportunities:
- Long Day Care Worker
- Family Day Care Worker
- Occasional Care Worker
- Qualified Nanny
- Early Childhood Worker
- Playground Supervisor
This course is timetabled for 52 weeks, including 40 weeks of training and assessment across 4 terms of 10 weeks each, and 12 weeks of holidays. Each week, you are required to complete 20 hours of training and assessment, made up of 14 hours of weekly classroom training and 6 hours of structured study. The hours allocated to structured study may vary during work placement. An additional 10 hours per week for self-directed learning should be set aside for homework.
For more information, head to our ALG Calendar and Timetable.
Training: Training takes place on campus and in an early childhood education setting. Delivery methods for training on campus include trainer presentations and demonstrations, individual tasks, case studies, research, role plays, practical demonstrations, and group work.
Assessments: You will be assessed in both simulated and real work environments. In the classroom, assessments will involve projects with role-plays, case studies, observations, and short-answer questions. The assessment conditions will replicate a workplace environment for classroom-based assessments.