Diploma of Early Childhood Education and Care

ARC Training Entry Requirements

To be eligible for this course as an Existing Worker student entrant, you must hold a:

CHC30121 Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care

OR

CHC30113 Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care

Alternatively, individuals may hold:

An Australian diploma in Early Childhood Education and Care

OR

An Australian diploma or certificate III in Children’s Services.

AND

Demonstrate at least 12 months of cumulative employment (full-time equivalent) within the last 5 years in a regulated education and care service in Australia, supported by verifiable evidence.

OR

Hold the CHCSS00147 Entry into Diploma of Early Childhood Education and Care.

Additionally, entrants must:

• Be employed in a regulated children’s education and care service in Australia for the entire duration of the course.
• Have the provision of workplace supervisors to support and facilitate opportunities for practical skills development, as well as provide feedback and performance insights through third party reports.
• Have access to children of varying ages (0-5) throughout the duration of the course.
• Ensure trainers and Assessors from ARC training are able to access the workplace for the purposes of direct observation assessment.
• Complete a language, literacy and numeracy (LLN) assessment and achieve a minimum outcome of ACSF level 3 across all domains.
• Be physically fit to undertake practical placement requirements in an ECEC setting.
• Have access to a computer with reliable internet connectivity.
• Possess basic computer and digital literacy skills to support the completion of an online qualification.
• Provide evidence of a Working with Children Check (WWCC) and mandatory child safety training (from 27th August 2026)
• Learners working, volunteering, or undertaking placement in a regulated early childhood education and care service must complete the National Child Safety Training. Evidence of completion will be required prior to commencing placement. Please visit ACECQA for further information.
• Vaccinations may be required by the host workplace before or during practical placement.
  

Possible Job Roles

• Room leader/Lead educator
• Early childhood educator
• Family day care educator
• Kindergarten assistant
• Nanny/in-home carer
• Assistant Director
• Centre Director

ARC Training does not guarantee successful completion of this course or guarantee employment.

Duration

The duration of this course is 12 months.*

*Subject to public holidays and RTO closure periods.

Delivery Mode

To achieve this qualification, the individual must have completed a total of at least 280 hours of work in a regulated children’s education and care service in Australia as detailed in the Assessment Requirements of units of competency. The total number of hours may be applied collectively across all units of competency that include the requirement for workplace hours. Placement hours may be completed within a current workplace, wherever suitable.

Qualification Structure

There are fifteen (15) units of competency to complete, comprising of twelve (12) core units and three (3) elective units of competency.

Core units

Electives

Course Cost

Government funding may be available for eligible participants in ACT, NSW, and SA, please see the relevant fee schedule. If you are not eligible for government funding the course can be delivered as a Fee for Service program. Please contact 1300 793 146 for more information. To see our Refund Policy, please click here. 

Please note: ARC Training will not collect prepaid fees from students in excess of $1500.00

Support Services

• LLN support 
• Tutorials 
• Assessment support
  

Policies, Terms & Conditions

For the relevant information, visit our policies, terms and conditions page here.

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