Certificate III in Early Childhood Education & Care
Typical income$65,000 – $90,000+
- Childcare Educator
- Early Learning Assistant
View course
Cert IV
CHC40221
Certificate IV in School Based Education Support
High Demand
RPL
Gap Training
Full Course
Typical income$70,000 – $95,000+
$50k$115k$180k
Term-time employment patterns affect annual figures; permanent roles pay above casual aide rates.
Placement must align with school terms
Course overview
About this qualification
Teacher's aides, learning support officers and school learning support officers are the people who make inclusive classrooms actually work. This qualification is what NSW schools — public, Catholic and independent — expect you to hold before they put you in front of students who need targeted support.
The content is focused on the real job: supporting literacy and numeracy for students who are behind, managing behaviour without escalating it, adjusting activities for students with disability or additional needs, and working productively under a classroom teacher's direction. There is also a serious child protection and duty-of-care component, because you carry those obligations personally.
School hours and school terms make this one of the few care-sector roles that fits around your own family, which is why it appeals so strongly to parents returning to work. It also pairs neatly with a disability support qualification if you want to move between school and NDIS work.
What you'll learn
Course contents
- Support the development of literacy and numeracy skills
- Contribute to student education in all developmental domains
- Support students with additional and diverse needs
- Positive behaviour support in the classroom
- Work effectively under the direction of a teacher
- Child protection, duty of care and mandatory reporting
- Inclusive education practice and reasonable adjustment
- Communicate with students, staff and families
- Support the use of assistive technology and learning aids
- Supervised vocational work placement in a school
Exact units are set by the training package and confirmed by your RTO at enrolment.
Where it leads
Career opportunities
Education Support Officer
Classroom-based support across primary and secondary
$70,000 – $95,000+
Teacher's Aide
General and targeted student assistance
$70,000 – $95,000+
Learning Support Officer
Working with students on individual learning plans
$70,000 – $95,000+
Integration Aide
One-to-one support for students with disability
$70,000 – $95,000+
Term-time employment patterns affect annual figures; permanent roles pay above casual aide rates.
Is this you?
Who this course suits
Parents wanting work that matches school hours and terms, current casual aides needing the formal qualification, and disability support workers who want to move into an education setting.
Not sure you fit? Ring anyway. The most common thing Mahmoud hears is “I probably do not qualify” from someone who does. The session costs nothing and the answer is honest either way.
The CME Pathway Method
How we help you get it
Discover
We map your work history and existing tickets against the qualification you need.
Advise
A straight answer on which pathway fits — RPL, gap training or full course.
Connect
We place you with the partner RTO best suited to your evidence and situation.
Support
We stay with you through the paperwork until the certificate is in your hand.
Questions we get asked
Frequently asked questions
It is the standard expectation for ongoing school learning support officer roles, and it is what selection panels look for. Casual and short-term aide work is sometimes available without it, but the qualification is what converts casual work into a permanent position.
Generally not in the same class as your child, for obvious reasons, and some schools decline it outright. Schools you already have a relationship with — through volunteering or canteen work — are still often the easiest placements to arrange, and we will help you approach them.
Yes, without exception, and you will need it cleared before placement begins. Apply the day you enrol.
Yes. Casual aide work, volunteer classroom support, tutoring and structured youth work are all assessable evidence. Bring references, timesheets and any documentation of the students and adjustments you supported, with names removed.
Not directly — teaching requires a university degree. What this does is get you into a school, working alongside teachers, with income while you decide. Many of our clients start here and go on to study teaching part-time from inside the system.
Important. Certification Made Easy is not a Registered Training Organisation (RTO). We operate solely as a consulting agency, providing advisory and referral services to our clients through our trusted RTO partners.
Course codes, units and any licensing requirements are set by the training package and the relevant regulator, and change over time. Confirm current details with your RTO and, where a licence is involved, with the regulator in your state.
Same industry
Other Childcare & Education qualifications
Diploma of Early Childhood Education & Care
Typical income$80,000 – $110,000+
- Lead Educator / Room Leader
- Centre Coordinator
View course