THE QUALIFICATIONS GUIDE

Transcription

1 THE QUALIFICATIONS GUIDE EDUCATION AND CARE SECTOR: EDUCATORS (Almost) Everything you need to know about obtaining a qualification in the education and care sector in Tasmania 1

2 A GUIDE TO OBTAINING A VET QUALIFICATION IN EDUCATION AND CARE IN TASMANIA ACKNOWLEDGMENT Early Childhood Australia (ECA) - Tasmania Branch have co-ordinated the development and publication of this Guide with funding support provided by the Department of Education, Tasmania. The need for such a guide was identified and promoted by the (then) Minister s Education and Care Advisory Council. The Guide aims to be relevant and practical and to promote and support the development of robust and high quality training for the Education and Care sector in Tasmania. To help ensure this, ECA have consulted widely with the Education and Care sector, the Training and Professional Development Reference Group, sector Roundtable members and Skills Tasmania. The Qualifications Guide: Education and Care Sector Lisa Bryant, Leanne Gibbs Published by Early Childhood Australia Tasmania Branch Copyright held by the Crown in the right of the State of Tasmania licensed to Early Childhood Australia Tasmania Branch Disclaimer: All care has been taken with this publication and information was correct as at December 2014 but services and educators should rely on their own enquiries before making decisions about their own situations ISBN

3 HELLO. To work as an educator in many types of early education and care services, you need a qualification either a university degree or a Vocational Education and Training (VET) qualification. The VET qualification you may need could be a Certificate III, a Certificate IV or a Diploma. Some people working in the sector may also choose to undertake qualifications higher than minimum requirements, because they are a great way of learning new skills or obtaining a formal qualification that is recognised across Australia. The most common VET courses in the education and care sector are: Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care Certificate III in Education Support Diploma of Early Childhood Education and Care Certificate IV in School Age Education and Care Diploma of School Age Education and Care There is also a range of other VET courses and qualifications, such as management courses, that people working in education and care services may also study. This guide focuses on two main qualifications, Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care and Diploma of Early Childhood Education and Care. Please go to the ACECQA website ( for other relevant qualifications applicable to the sector. Where the word Services is used in the guide, it could refer to Long Day Care, Family Day Care or Outside School Hours Care. 3

4 HOW TO USE THIS GUIDE This guide provides direction in obtaining a VET qualification in education and care in Tasmania. It has been divided into two separate booklets: Services (Part 1) for the directors/co-ordinators/managers/ owners of services who want to help their educators obtain a qualification Educators (Part 2 this booklet) who want to obtain a qualification themselves The world of qualifications can be complex at first. 4

5 To help simplify this world, we have used some symbols throughout this guide: READ THIS Crucial knowledge summaries GOOD TO KNOW This material will expand your understanding FIND OUT MORE Where to go for comprehensive information 5

6 This guide is divided into two booklets, yellow for services and managers, and blue for educators. This booklet is for EDUCATORS This section should be used in discussion with your supervisor. 6

7 CONTENTS The who, what, where, when of gaining a qualification for educators. (And maybe even the why!) Section 1 The Whys 8 A qualification: a requirement for most work roles in education and care Qualifications: More skills! Section 2 The Hows 12 Traineeships Study Face-to-face Distance/Online Blended learning RPL Section 3 The When 16 Section 4 Where can I obtain a qualification? 18 Section 5 The Whats 20 What qualification? What will you learn in these qualifications? What will it cost? Costs Funding What will it mean? Time Practicums Assessments Help from the service Section 6 Help! (Who can help?) 30 My cheat sheet! Say What? (the meaning of all those acronyms) Section 7 RPL: Need to know 40 Section 8 BUT! (Still have questions?) 42 7

8 EDUCATORS THE WHYS. Why would you, as someone who is working in the education and care sector, or someone who wants to, decide to gain a qualification or decide to obtain an additional qualification? Why are qualifications so important in the education and care sector? Qualifications READ THIS Everybody who becomes an educator in an early education and care service, such as a long day care centre or a family day care service, is required by law to have a minimum qualification or be working towards obtaining one. The minimum qualification is a Certificate III but some people decide to enrol straight into a Diploma. You don t have to have these before you start working in a centre-based service, but you do have to be enrolled to obtain your Certificate within three months of working in a centre-based service. Family Day Care educators need to have or be actively working towards a qualification from when they start. There is no legal requirement to obtain a qualification to work in an out-of-school hours care service (before school, after school or vacation care) as at the time of publication, but there is a qualification available for those who wish to obtain one. Under the law, early education and care services are required to make sure that half of the educators working at a service at any time the service is open, have a Diploma or higher qualification, or be actively working towards one. For some roles educators may need additional qualifications, e.g. first aid, food safety. It is important that before you sign up to complete or undertake qualification, you need to make sure it is a qualification that is accepted under the laws that early education and care services operate under. To check, make sure you have the exact name of the qualification and go to the qualifications list: GOOD TO KNOW 8

9 SECTION 1: THE WHYS What are the current qualifications? Minimum qualifications to become a family day care educator or work in a service with children below school age: Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care Diploma of Early Childhood Education and Care, or Early childhood teaching degree. These (along with some specific smaller qualifications, such as first aid) are the only required qualifications to work in an early education and care service with children below school age. Minimum qualifications for a Family Day Care Co-ordinator: Diploma level education and care qualification. Minimum qualifications to work in an Outside School Hours Care (e.g. after school care or school holiday care): No qualifications are required, as at the time of publication, but those wanting to work in these services can obtain: Certificate IV in School Age Education and Care Certificate III in Early Education and Care Diploma of School Age Education and Care. Educators may need to obtain specific first aid, child protection and food safety qualifications. Minimum qualifications to become a room leader/director/co-ordinator: Again, no additional qualifications are required, as at the time of publication, but those wanting to work in these positions may be interested in obtaining one of the following qualifications, if they do not already hold these: Diploma of Early Childhood Education and Care Certificate IV in School Age Education and Care Diploma of School Age Education and Care Diploma of Management Advanced Diploma of Community Sector Management. 9

10 EDUCATORS FIND OUT MORE ACECQA (The Australian Children s Education and Care Quality Authority) is the source for information on what qualifications are approved in early education and care services: The Education and Care Regulations. Read Regulations and : Talk to the manager, owner, director or co-ordinator of the service you are working in. They will be able to tell you the appropriate qualification. Qualifications: More knowledge and skills! READ THIS Existing educators often choose to obtain higher qualifications (such as a diploma or an advanced diploma) as a way of achieving more knowledge and skills (which sometimes come with higher pay) or because their employer asks them to. Qualifications are also important because researchers have proved that qualified educators deliver better education and care to children! Learning more about children and educating and caring for them can help educators build better relationships with the children they care for. Sometimes when educators take on higher positions, such as a room leader/director or co-ordinator, they may feel like they need more people and process management skills. These can be obtained by undertaking a qualification or a higher qualification. The qualifications you need or choose or are required to have to work in early education and care (apart from teaching degrees) are a part of a system of training called VET (vocational education and training). VET courses help you obtain the qualifications you need to be able to work in early education and care services, as well as the skills you need to be able to work with children. VET is competency-based training. Competency-based training is designed to allow you to show your ability to do something or know something. This may be something like providing healthy food and drinks to children or providing experiences to support children s play. What is important about competency-based training is that you either can or cannot do the skill (or have the knowledge) that you are learning about. When you reach the stage that you can do the skill (or have the knowledge), your trainer can assess you as being competent. To obtain a Certificate III you must be assessed as competent in all 18 units of competency (includes 15 core units). For a Diploma you must be assessed as being competent in all 28 units of competency (includes 23* core units). * 14 of these 23 units are in the Certificate III. 10

11 SECTION 1: THE WHYS Around half of all school leavers in Australia undertake vocational training within a year or two after leaving school. More than half of all students who undertake VET courses are older than 25 years and most VET students study part-time. Training is an investment in you and for your career. People who have a VET or higher qualification are more likely to earn a higher salary and have greater employment prospects than those without. GOOD TO KNOW If you look at page 21, it lists the skills and knowledge you will learn under the major qualifications in the early education and care sector. FIND OUT MORE 11

12 EDUCATORS THE HOWS. How do I go about obtaining a qualification? Are there different ways to achieve a qualification? There is a range of ways to achieve a qualification. Some involve mixing study and work, some involve studying either in a classroom or online, and some involve gaining recognition for skills, knowledge and experience that you may already have. READ THIS The main ways to gain a qualification in the education and care sector are: Traineeships (Certificate III/Diploma) Study Recognition. GOOD TO KNOW One of the great things about vocational education and training in Australia is that the qualifications you obtain are nationally recognised. So, a qualification you obtain in Tasmania is recognised in all other states and territories. Whether you obtain your qualification via a traineeship, study or through recognition, it is the same qualification it certifies that you are competent in the national requirements of that qualification. Traineeships A traineeship is an apprenticeship. A service in the education and care sector can employ an existing or a new worker as a trainee. A traineeship combines training and employment leading to the trainee gaining a Certificate III or a Diploma in Early Education and Care or a qualification in School Aged Care (N.B. Family day care educators are not eligible for traineeships, as they are self-employed). If you are employed as a trainee, you work at a service and be paid at the same time you are studying. Study can involve training that is on-the-job, off-the-job, or a combination of both. Generally, an employer is required to give trainees time to attend formal course work. When someone is studying for a Certificate III or a Diploma, their course requires they undertake practicums or work experience/placements in a service. With a traineeship, both the Certificate III and Diploma s practicum requirements are met through the student s work at their own service. A trainee can also gain some of the competencies in their course through recognition of their prior learning and experience. Who provides the training? The training must be provided by a Registered Training Organisation (RTO). The student and employer can choose which RTO they wish to provide the training component of the traineeship. 12

13 SECTION 2: THE HOWS What sorts of traineeships are there? New entrant traineeship A service can engage a new employee as a trainee. Traineeships provide services with an opportunity to pass on knowledge and skills from other educators to a person that is new to the sector. Existing worker traineeships An existing employee can become a trainee and may receive credit for existing skills or knowledge which may help reduce the length of the traineeship and the amount of training the student has to do. School-based traineeships Students in Years can undertake a school-based traineeship so they can gain a VET qualification as a trainee while still finishing their high school education. What sort of funding is there? Services may be eligible to receive incentives from the Commonwealth and Tasmanian Government for engaging a trainee which can be used to cover training costs. Trainees may also be eligible for some subsidies. This may mean that you will not have to pay for all of the training yourself. What exactly is a traineeship? A traineeship is a formal agreement it gives all parties certain rights and, importantly, responsibilities. Trainees in the education and care sector are generally employed on a full-time basis, with time allocated out of their employed hours for the training component. How long does a traineeship last? Generally, a Certificate III traineeship will run for 1 2 years and, a Diploma, at least 2 4 years. Although each qualification has a nominal duration, because the training is competency-based, once the trainee has achieved all the competencies required, the contract can be finalised and completed. To find out more about traineeships, go to your local Australian Apprenticeships Centre: or call FIND OUT MORE 13

14 EDUCATORS Study Vocational and educational training can be completed through a Registered Training Organisation. Training can be delivered in the following ways. Face-to-face Face-to-face training or classroom training generally occurs with a small group of people studying for the same qualification. Face-to-face training generally occurs at the RTO s training rooms or campus. Distance study Distance study can either be carried out: Online students access learning materials online and submit assessments online via a website or by . Some online courses involve forums and chat rooms where students can communicate with other students and their trainer or assessor. Via or post students are sent learning materials by post or . Students are generally sent a single or a few units at a time and assessment tasks need to be ed, faxed or posted back to the RTO. Blended learning A combination of face-to-face training and distance or online learning. READ THIS Some people find face-to-face study in a small group a great way of learning. It often helps to be studying with others learning the same skills and knowledge. Attending set lessons can make it easier to develop a study routine, and you know when you will next see your teacher if you need to ask questions. Studying online is different from studying in a classroom. It means: You don t have to go to a particular campus or training room at certain times You can plan your study routine around other commitments You can access your course materials and communicate with trainers and fellow students at times that suit you. There are many different Registered Training Organisations through which you can undertake your study. Ask other educators and your service director or manager for recommendations. GOOD TO KNOW 14

15 SECTION 1: THE WHYS Contact an RTO. To find a Skills Tasmania Endorsed RTO, go to: FIND OUT MORE RPL Recognition of Prior Learning more commonly called RPL enables a person to receive recognition and credit for the knowledge and skills they have acquired through: Prior work experience (paid and unpaid) Previous study (school, college, professional development) Life experience (including parenting). RPL is an assessment process that involves assessment of an educator s relevant prior learning (including formal, informal and non-formal learning) to give credit for learning outcomes they have already achieved. Credit given may reduce the amount of units a student may need to study by deeming them competent in some units. To achieve RPL for a unit or units of a qualification, an RTO must assess the educator to determine to what extent the student s previous learning is equivalent to the learning outcomes of those units. An educator who wishes to apply for RPL will need to provide evidence to demonstrate how their background, work or life experiences or past studies match against a unit/s of competency from the Certificate or Diploma. Evidence can be provided in a range of formats and could include references, work samples, resumes, evidence of professional development attended, portfolios, etc. To find out more about the RPL process and whether you may be eligible to obtain a qualification in full or in part by RPL, contact the Registered Training Organisation of your choice. To find a Skills Tasmania Endorsed RTO, go to: FIND OUT MORE Around a third of educators in early education and care service have received some recognition of prior learning when completing their qualification. What experiences and training do you have that may be able to count towards your competency? Discuss this with your RTO! GOOD TO KNOW 15

16 EDUCATORS THE WHEN. When is the best time to start a qualification? Do you have to wait until the beginning of a new year? How does it all work? READ THIS Unlike university or school education, you can normally find a VET course and start when you are ready to study. You mostly don t have to wait until the beginning of a new year. This means that the timing of starting a qualification is up to you. The only real time requirement is that if you are already working as an educator in an early education and care service, you must start your Certificate III or Diploma qualification within three months of being employed. Generally, traineeships and distance learning can be started at any time you are ready, as can the RPL process. Most RTOs are set up to start these on an ongoing basis. Sometimes, you may have to wait for the next course to begin. Studying for a qualification will put additional demands on you, especially if you are working at the same time. As well as the face-to-face or online parts of the course, you will also need to complete assessment tasks for each unit. You need to ensure that you allocate the time to do these. Because of this, you need to think about what else is going on in your life. GOOD TO KNOW The really good thing to know about VET qualifications is that because they are divided up into individual competencies, you can often pace your own learning and, if you need to take a break, you don t lose credit for the competencies you have already achieved. The exception to this if for educators working for a qualification required under the Regulations. People studying for these have to always be working toward that qualification you cannot stop mid-course. Upskilling? Do you want to study for a higher qualification such as an Advanced Diploma? Sometimes, these are not run with the same frequency as Certificate III and Diploma courses if you hear of a great course starting grab it! READ THIS 16

17 SECTION 3: THE WHEN To find out when the next course is beginning, you need to contact the RTO/s you are interested in studying with. If you have not yet chosen an RTO, go to: tas.gov.au or to find one that is able to offer the course you are interested in. FIND OUT MORE 17

18 EDUCATORS QUALIFICATIONS. Where do I obtain a qualification from? Can I choose who I study with? Regardless of whether you choose to obtain your qualification through undertaking a traineeship, studying face-to-face, or by distance, or applying for recognition, you will still need to be enrolled with a training provider a Registered Training Organisation (RTO). There are many RTOs in Tasmania. Choosing an RTO is important to ensure you receive high quality training delivered in a way that works for you. The checklist below may help you choose the best RTO for you. You should also check with your employer and talk about the RTOs they prefer to deliver training. GOOD TO KNOW Although an educator can obtain a training qualification from a range of training providers and will finish with the same qualification (for example, a Diploma), this does not mean all Diplomas are equal. The quality of training offered by training providers differs. So how do you know if the training provider (i.e., the Registered Training Organisation) offers good quality training or not? Ask! Ask your service and other educators. Also ask questions of the RTO itself. Types of RTOs RTOs can be small or large. Some RTOs may only offer a few courses. Some will offer many. RTOs can either be public, or can be run on a not for profit basis (often operated by industry organisations), or welfare organisations (such as large charities), or run on a for profit basis. Some RTOs have other business arms (for example, an employment agency that also provides training). 18

19 SECTION 4: QUALIFICATIONS Checklist: Questions to consider when considering which RTO to sign up with As you ask each question of an RTO, put a tick or cross in that RTO s column if the answer fits what you want. 1. Does the RTO have a history of provision of training in the education and care sector? 2. What do other educators you know say about the RTO? 3. Does the RTO s trainers and assessors have current education and care experience and qualifications? 4. How easy is it to understand the RTO s training and assessment materials? (Ask if you can look at some.) 5. Can the RTO provide training in a way which suits your needs? (e.g. face-to-face, distance, online or a mix) 6. What elective units will you be studying? 7. How long does the course/traineeship go for? 8. How many hours of study (attendance at training/study/assessment time) will be required? 9. Can the RTO help me with language and literacy support? 10. Does the RTO offer RPL? 11. What are the costs? 12. Can the RTO suggest sources of government funding/subsidies/incentives? 13. Does the RTO provide a key contact person for me? 14. What support does the RTO provide students? 15. Does the contract you will sign with the RTO clearly state their responsibilities and yours? 16. What does the RTO expect of students? Can you reasonably meet these expectations? RTO NAME RTO NAME To see if an RTO is Skills Tasmania Endorsed, go to: If you are not satisfied with the quality of service you receive from an RTO, or with the training you are being provided, there are ways for you to make a complaint. Talk to the RTO about the problem. It may be easily fixed. If after trying to solve the problem with the RTO you still have unresolved issues, you can complain to the Australian Skills Quality Authority go to: FIND OUT MORE 19

20 EDUCATORS THE WHATS. When you think about starting a qualification, you often have lots of questions about what it will mean for you to be studying. Will it cost a lot? How much of your time will it take up? How hard will it be? This section is designed to give you some answers. What qualification? There is a number of qualifications that educators can obtain that are required to work in the childhood education and care sector. Entry level qualifications Certificate III in Education Support* Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care* Certificate IV in School Age Education and Care. *The Education and Care Services National Regulations state that an educator who is educating and caring for children preschool age or under, must have, or be actively working towards, at least an approved Certificate III level early education and care qualification, for them to be counted in the educator-to-child ratios. A family day care educator must have, or be actively working towards, at least an approved Certificate III level early education and care qualification. Other qualifications Diploma of Early Childhood Education and Care Diploma of School Age Education and Care. Management qualifications Diploma of Management Advanced Diploma of Community Sector Management Frontline Management. Training qualification Certificate IV in Training and Assessment. 20

21 SECTION 5: THE WHATS Single unit courses You can also study individual units of competency from a range of courses. Completing these do not give you an entire qualification but you will receive a Statement of Attainment to show that you have completed the unit. You will also receive credit for these units if you decide to obtain a qualification later, of which these units are a part of. Most of these units are part of courses such as the Certificate III and Diploma but may be useful for those who are not doing these qualifications such as admin assistants and cooks. Child protection: Identify and respond to children and young people at risk Food handling: Follow basic food safety practices Nutrition and menu planning: Plan and evaluate meals and menus to meet recommended dietary guidelines First aid: Provide an emergency first aid response in an education and care setting. What will you learn in these qualifications? Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care In the Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care, you must complete 18 units 15 compulsory units and three elective units. These are the compulsory units: Work within a relevant legal and ethical framework Develop cultural competence Ensure the health and safety of children Provide care for children Promote and provide healthy food and drinks Provide care for babies and toddlers Develop positive and respectful relationships with children Use an approved learning framework to guide practice Support the holistic development of children in early childhood Provide experiences to support children s play and learning Use information about children to inform practice Identify and respond to children and young people at risk Provide an emergency first aid response in an early education and care setting Participate in work health and safety Work effectively with Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people. 21

22 EDUCATORS Diploma of Early Childhood Education and Care In the Diploma of Early Childhood Education and Care, you must complete 28 units 23 compulsory and five elective. These are the compulsory units: Work within a relevant legal and ethical framework Develop cultural competence Ensure the health and safety of children Provide care for children Promote and provide healthy food and drinks Provide care for babies and toddlers Develop positive and respectful relationships with children Use an approved learning framework to guide practice Establish and maintain a safe and healthy environment for children Foster the holistic development and wellbeing of the child in early childhood Nurture creativity in children Establish and implement plans for developing co-operative behaviour Implement strategies for the inclusion of all children Promote children s agency Analyse information to inform learning Design and implement the curriculum to foster children s learning and development Embed sustainable practices in service operations Work in partnership with families to provide appropriate early education and care for children Identify and respond to children and young people at risk Provide an emergency first aid response in an early education and care setting Work effectively with Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people Maintain work health and safety Facilitate compliance in early education and care services. Diploma of School Age Education and Care In the Diploma of School Age Education and Care, you must complete 25 units 18 compulsory and seven elective. These are the compulsory units: Develop cultural competence Promote and provide healthy food and drinks Use an approved learning framework to guide practice 22

23 SECTION 5: THE WHATS Provide experiences to support children s play and learning Establish and maintain a safe and healthy environment for children Nurture creativity in children Facilitate compliance in early education and care services Establish and implement plans for developing co-operative behaviour Implement strategies for the inclusion of all children Design and implement the curriculum to foster children s learning and development Work in partnership with families to provide appropriate early education and care for children Identify and respond to children and young people at risk Support children to participate in school age care Develop and implement play and leisure experiences in school age care Work collaboratively and respectfully with children in school age care Foster the holistic development and wellbeing of the child in school age care Provide an emergency first aid response in an early education and care setting Work effectively with Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people. Starting out in the sector? If you want to work in early education and care (such as in long day care of family day care), you can choose to do either a Certificate III or enrol directly into a Diploma. You can either: Obtain your Certificate III. You can then choose to stop studying at this point or go on to further study and obtain your Diploma receiving credit for some units in your Certificate III. Enrol directly into a Diploma. GOOD TO KNOW To find out more about what qualification you should study, talk to the director of your service or an RTO. Ask them about what qualifications are needed and what qualifications are desirable. Think about your career now and in the future. FIND OUT MORE 23

24 EDUCATORS What will it cost? Costs Registered Training Organisations charge fees for qualifications. These charges vary depending on: What qualification you are completing Which RTO is offering it Whether you are eligible for concessions What government support is available to reduce the fee. There is always a range of government funding/subsidies/incentives to enable the costs of fees to be reduced or removed entirely. Please see the Funding section on page 25 for more information. GOOD TO KNOW FIND OUT MORE The only way to find out what a qualification will cost is by contacting RTOs or checking out their fee schedules on their websites. RTOs set their own fees, so the cost of a qualification can vary between different RTOs. Remember to ask them what funding is available. 24

25 SECTION 5: THE WHATS Funding/subsidies/incentives Funding/subsidies/incentives are often available to assist to cover the cost of vocational and educational training. Sometimes, this is available for students, for employers, or for RTOs. RTOs are often the best informed as to what is available at any point of time. READ THIS Funding or subsidies for a qualification can sometimes be obtained from: The employer, i.e. the education and care service. Services sometimes choose to pay employee training costs as part of an employee s salary package or because it is the best way for the service to ensure their educators have the skills and qualifications the service needs. Under the Long Day Care Professional Development Programme (LDCPDP), long day care employers have received funding that can be used to pay for long day care educators qualifications until June Jobs Services Australia providers. Employment agencies can fund or provide vocational and educational training, especially for people who have been unemployed for a long time, or have a disability or other barrier to employment. Government. A range of Commonwealth and state government programs exist at different times which can provide financial assistance for vocational and educational training. These programs change on a regular basis. Skills Tasmania manages a range of subsidy, incentive and grant programs that support industry, employers, community organisations and registered training providers to provide subsidised training. Some RTOs can offer VET FEE HELP. VET FEE HELP is an interest-free Commonwealth loan that assists full fee paying students to pay their tuition fees when studying a Diploma or Advanced Diploma qualification. The Australian Government pays the amount of the loan directly to the RTO, and students repay their loan through the Australian taxation system, once their earnings reach a certain level. VET FEE HELP is similar to the HECS system in place for universities study. As at the end of 2014 TasTAFE was registered to offer VET FEE HELP. To find out more, go to: sites/studyassist/helppayingmyfees/vet-fee-help The Australian Government is providing Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) grants for eligible early childhood educators in services in regional and remote locations. Grants of up to $3,500 are available for eligible early childhood educators as a contribution to the costs associated with undertaking an RPL assessment for the Certificate III and Diploma. The 2014 federal Budget removed these grants for educators from long day care services. Traineeships. When you are engaged as a trainee, the Tasmanian Government and your employer, generally, will cover the cost of your qualification. 25

26 EDUCATORS Most subsidies for qualifications goes directly to RTOs, who then pass it on to students via funded or partially-funded qualifications. Sometimes, qualifications are completely funded but, more often than not, subsidies and incentives will reduce the cost, rather than remove it completely. GOOD TO KNOW FIND OUT MORE VET funding in general: or contact your chosen RTO Traineeship subsidies contact your Australian Apprenticeships Centre see: or read more at: 26

27 SECTION 5: THE WHATS What will undertaking a qualification mean for you? Time Because qualifications are competency based there are no set completion times. You are awarded your qualification when you have been assessed to be competent in all the required skills and knowledge for that qualification. Each qualification does have a minimum number of required hours for work placements. READ THIS How long a qualification takes depends on a range of factors, such as your previous skills and knowledge, how many units you are studying at a time and how the RTO you are studying with, structures your course. The following times are guides only remembering that the final duration depends on how long it takes you to be competent in the skills required. A Certificate III typically takes about 1-to-2 years to complete A Certificate IV is typically between 1-to-3 years (the shorter Certificate IV courses are qualifications designed for those with many existing knowledge and skills) A Diploma typically takes around 2 years to complete An Advanced Diploma is typically between 18 months 2 years An early childhood teaching degree usually takes 3 4 years. Before you sign up to an RTO, it is important you find out from that RTO how long the qualification typically takes people to obtain. If it sounds like too little time, it could be that you are not studying the subjects in the depth required to equip you to work in an education and care service. GOOD TO KNOW Practicums As well as face-to-face study or online study, many qualifications also require you to do a work placement a prac (practicum) in a service. If you are already working in a service, your prac time may be made up of some or all of your normal working hours. READ THIS 27

28 EDUCATORS The minimum amount of time that must be spent in work placement or pracs are as follows: Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care: 120 hours Certificate IV in School Age Education and Care: 120 hours Diploma of Early Childhood Education and Care: 240 hours (if you already possess a Certificate III, it is only 120 hours) Diploma of School Age Education and Care: 240 hours. READ THIS Like any form of study, when you are studying for a qualification, there will be homework or assessments. How many and how long these will take depends upon which qualification you are doing, which unit within that qualification, and the RTO s requirements. If you are a trainee, your employer is required to pay you for all the time you spend in training. Assessments Assessments may include multiple choice questions, short questions and answers, workplace observations, written assessments and projects or reports. Sometimes, you may have to complete a task within your workplace as an assessment. Assessment helps you to prove that you have the skills and knowledge to gain a competency. Help from the service What sort of help can you expect to receive from your service when you are completing a qualification? The sort of help you can expect to receive really depends upon your individual service. Most services are proud of their educators obtaining a qualification or upskilling, and are often prepared to assist by: Study leave (check your award or agreement) Assisting you find resources to help with assessments Ensuring you can complete tasks required for assessments or practicums Setting you up with a mentor to assist your study Helping you find a way of reducing course fees through subsidies or incentives Giving you access to service documentation to enable you to use it in completing assessments Organising study groups for all employees completing qualifications Having educators who already have that qualification work with you to assist you to understand course and assessment requirements. 28

29 SECTION 5: THE WHATS Before you start a qualification, it is always good to have a discussion with your service about what support and assistance might be available to help you. Do not make assumptions about what might be on offer. READ THIS 29

30 EDUCATORS HELP! WHO CAN HELP? READ THIS Once you are enrolled in a qualification, the main place you will go to seek help or ask questions is your RTO. They are the ones that are being paid and have responsibilities to assist you to obtain your qualification, so never be shy to ask them questions about the course, requirements, assessments, fees, subsidies, etc. Sometimes when you are doing a qualification, you may require help. It is important that you ask for help early when you don t understand something or need to know something. Sometimes, it can be hard to know exactly who can provide you with help about what this is what this section tries to simplify. Help with questions about qualifications Go to the Skills Tasmania website: Go to The Commonwealth s My Skills website: Ask your service. Help with questions about fees, subsidies Ask your RTO (or any RTO you are thinking of using) Ask your service Go to the Skills Tasmania website: Help with assessments Ask other educators at your service and or your service director or mentor Go to the ECA Skills Plan website this will give you a list of websites that may help you find information for each unit of the Certificate III and Diploma Use Google! There is a mass of information on the website about education and care. The ECA website at has some great resources for educators. GOOD TO KNOW Need help with reading and writing? Help is available for educators undertaking a qualification that need assistance ask your director or co-ordinator. 30

31 SECTION 6: HELP! It is always better to ask for help than to drop out of your course. If you are finding studying difficult, let someone at your RTO know. GOOD TO KNOW 31

32 EDUCATORS CHEAT SAY Websites that you may need to consult FIND OUT MORE There are a range of websites that will be helpful no matter what topic the employee/s or students on practicum are learning. These are listed here. Tasmanian Professional Support Co-ordinator: professional_support_coordinator psc_tas_.html ACECQA: Early Childhood Australia: NQS PLP website Early Childhood Australia: PSC Alliance: My Time Our Place: IPSP Online Library: READ THIS The following websites are grouped by quality area, with the first section being those websites that cross all quality areas or are particularly helpful for the National Quality Framework. When a student asks for help, think about what quality area the topic they are studying most fits under, then check the resources for that study area. 32

33 6: HELP! WHAT?SECTION SHEET! Quality Area 1: Educational Program and Practice The Early Years Learning Framework: Practice-based resources for the Early Years Learning Framework: Educator s Guide to the Early Years Learning Framework: years_learning_framework_for_australia.pdf My Time Our Place website: Early Childhood Australia Professional Learning Program: IPSP Online Library: Pedagogical Documentation: Pedagogical-Documentation.pdf Intentional Teaching Strategies: STRATEGIES.pdf Inclusion and Professional Support Program: Early Childhood Australia Learning Hub: 33

34 EDUCATORS CHEAT SHEET! Quality Area 2: Children s Health and Safety Staying Healthy: Preventing infectious diseases in early childhood education and care services (5th Edition): Australian Dietary Guidelines: Healthy Eating for Children: Get Up & Grow: Healthy Eating and Physical Activity for Early Childhood Staff/Carers Book: Current Immunisation Schedule National Quality Standard Professional Learning Program: Work Health and Safety Fact Sheets: IPSP Online Library: Department of Health and Human Services (Child Protection): Food Standards: Allergies: Asthma: 34

35 SECTION 6: HELP! Quality Area 3: Physical Environment NQS PLP website Early Childhood Australia: Tasmanian Professional Support Co-ordinator: Learning Through Play: Anne-Kennedy.pdf Climbing the Little Green Steps (Sustainability): IPSP Online Library: Quality Area 4: Staffing Arrangements ECA Code of Ethics: html My Time, Our Place website: NQS PLP website Early Childhood Australia: IPSP Online Library: 35

36 EDUCATORS CHEAT SHEET! Quality Area 5: Relationships with Children My Time Our Place website: NQS PLP website Early Childhood Australia: IPSP Online Library: Inclusion: Managing behaviour: managing_challenging_behaviour.html Quality Area 6: Collaborative Relationships with Families and Communities Children s Services Central: Early Childhood Australia: PLP_E-Newsletter_No35.pdf 36

37 SECTION 6: HELP! Quality Area 7: Leadership and Service Management Fair Work Commission: Service Financial Management: NQS PLP website Early Childhood Australia: IPSP Online Library: 37

38 EDUCATORS SAY READ THIS The training sector uses many acronyms. If an acronym is unknown, unclear or mysterious, it s always best to ask not everyone knows that RPL from an RTO gives someone a VET Qualification that is NRT under the AQF! Here is a helpful guide. AAC AQF ASQA COAG CSHISC DoE DoE Tas ISC ISPC JSA LLN LDCPDP Australian Apprenticeships Centre Australian Qualifications Framework Australian Skills Quality Authority Council of Australian Government Community Services and Health Industry Skills Council Commonwealth Department of Education Department of Education Tasmania Industry Skills Council Inclusion and Professional Support Program Job Search Association Language, Literacy and Numeracy Long Day Care Professional Development Programme 38

39 6: HELP! WHAT?SECTION MAAP NRT NSF PSC RPL RCC RTO TGA VET VETiS WHS Mentoring Australia Apprenticeship Program Nationally Recognised Training National Skills Framework Professional Support Co-ordinator Recognition of Prior Learning Recognition of Current Competency Registered Training Organisation training.gov.au Vocational Education and Training Vocational Education and Training in Schools Workers Health and Safety Common acronyms used in the education and care sector about qualifications are RPL (Recognition of Prior Learning) and RTO (Registered Training Organisation). Shortened course names (Cert 3, Cert 4, Dip) are also used. GOOD TO KNOW 39

40 EDUCATORS RPL NEED TO KNOW Registered Training Organisations (RTO) generally apply skills recognition in two ways: Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) Credit transfer. RPL is an assessment process that can give you credit for skills, knowledge and experience gained through working and learning at different stages of your life. You may be able to reduce the time it takes to obtain your qualification through the RPL process. RPL can help reduce the time it takes you to obtain a qualification by recognising the skills you already have and other learning you may have done. Your skills are assessed against the appropriate training package. READ THIS When you are trying to obtain RPL a specialist RPL assessor may ask you to: Perform tasks Talk about how you do things at a service Show paperwork such as qualifications, certificates of attendance at training courses, job descriptions, etc. The assessor then works out which competencies you can be considered as already having. RPL recognises both current and prior knowledge and experience and measures it against the course in which you are enrolled. To find out about the exact methods of obtaining RPL, you will need to talk to your chosen RTO. They will: Provide you with information about the process Conduct skills assessments for competencies/qualifications. There is no difference between achieving a competency through prior learning or through a formal program of study. What sort of evidence of competency or prior learning can be provided? Evidence of skills and knowledge can come from: Other accredited courses or nationally recognised qualification you have completed Professional development an educator has completed Work records Life experience Work history. 40

41 SECTION 7: RPL The RTO may obtain the evidence needed to grant you RPL through: Competency conversations (a formal conversation designed to assess your relevant skills, knowledge and experience.) Observation of you performing practical tasks Observation of you at a service Documentation whereby a director or other educator attests to the your competency after observing you over time. recognition-of-prior-learning-pathways FIND OUT MORE 41