Diploma of Early Childhood Education and Care

The Diploma of Early Childhood Education and Care at Austin Institute of Trades is a 1.5-year qualification for people who want to work directly with young children in Australian early learning services. You study how children grow and learn from birth to five, how to plan and run a play-based curriculum, how to keep children safe and well, and how to work with families and the wider community. The course is practical. You spend time in real early childhood services on placement, where you practise what you have learned under the supervision of experienced educators.

How the course is structured

Australian diplomas are made up of units of study, and each unit carries credit points. You complete the units set out in the course structure, usually over three or four study periods across 1.5 years. The exact units and credit points are listed on the official course page, and you should check them there before you apply. Assessment is a mix of written tasks, projects, observation of your practical skills and placement reports. There is no thesis at diploma level, but the placement component is the core of the qualification. You are assessed on what you can actually do with children, not just what you can write about it.

Placement and work-integrated learning

Work-integrated learning is compulsory in this field. You complete a set number of hours in a regulated early childhood service, working alongside qualified educators. Placement is where you learn to set up a room, run group times, observe and document children's learning, and respond to behaviour and wellbeing needs. Your supervising educator signs off on your skills, and the service may also be where you find your first job.

Skills you gain

You learn to design and deliver a curriculum that follows the Early Years Learning Framework. You learn to observe children, record their progress and use that information to plan what comes next. You learn about health, nutrition, hygiene and safety, including first aid and child protection responsibilities. You also learn to communicate with families, work in a team, and follow the National Quality Standard and the regulations that apply to early childhood services in Australia. Legal and ethical responsibilities, including mandatory reporting, are part of the course.

Who it suits

This diploma suits people who want to work in the sector rather than study towards a teaching degree, at least for now. It is common for students to enter straight from school, to change careers into early childhood, or to return to study after time away. If your goal is to become an early childhood teacher, check with the institution about credit towards a bachelor degree, because some pathways give credit for diploma units. International students should confirm English requirements and visa conditions on the official page. The Student visa generally allows 48 hours of work per fortnight while your course is in session, and the Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485) post-study work stream may be available after you finish, depending on your circumstances. Tuition is published on the CRICOS register, and you should check the current figure there.

• Early childhood educator in long day care, preschool and occasional care services
• Room leader or lead educator in an early learning centre
• Family day care educator running your own approved service
• Inclusion support assistant working with children who need additional help
• Outside school hours care educator
• Nanny or in-home child carer

These roles are found across Australia in private and community-owned early learning services, local government children's services, and not-for-profit organisations. Some graduates go on to study a bachelor degree and become early childhood teachers, which requires further study and registration or accreditation in most states and territories. Check with the relevant authority in the state or territory where you plan to work.