How to become an Early Childhood Educator in Australia

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What is an Early Childhood Educator?

Are you born with the natural talent to interact with kids and have the passion for working with children to help them grow and develop? If your answer is yes, then a career as an Early Childhood Educator might fit the bill for you.

But first, let’s take some time to understand what an Early Childhood Educator is. As the name suggests, Early Childhood Educators are teachers who specialise in educating young children, especially those who are under 5 years old. We all know that early childhood development is crucial in shaping a child’s future. As such, Early Childhood Educators play a vital role in the children’s development, helping them to lay the foundation for their future learning and success.

As an Early Childhood Educator, you will work with children of different ages and their varying needs to help them unleash their greatest potential. Commonly, Early Childhood Educators are responsible for promoting children’s social, emotional, cognitive, and physical development through play-based learning, while also ensuring their health and safety.

If the thought of becoming an Early Childhood Educator in Australia, especially if you are looking to migrate there, then keep reading!

Career in Early Childhood Education

With the vast career opportunities in Early Childhood Education, here are the top 10 careers in Early Childhood Education that you might find match your interests and goals!

Teacher’s aide
Childcare provider
Kindergarten teacher
Preschool teacher
Nanny
Special education teacher
School counsellor
Education directors
Education consultant
Elementary school teacher

Skills required for Early Childhood Educators

1. Patience

Children are always active, impulsive, and sometimes reactive. All these are in the nature of children and as an Early Childhood Educator, you need to keep calm and understand that different children do things differently. Communicate and find out their needs and the reasons behind them.

2. Creativity

An Early Childhood Educator must be comfortable with various teaching approaches such as arts and crafts, storytelling, exercise, and educational games. Introducing new activities regularly helps maintain the children’s interest and ensure that they learn new things every day

3. Organisation

Keeping a structure and having strong predictability skills are essential to keeping things moving. Often, as an Early Childhood Educator, you are required to multitask to attend to the different needs of each child at the same time. Hence, you need to strive for the perfect balance to ensure all children are well taken care of.

4. Empathy

To succeed in this role, an Early Childhood Educator must be able to communicate well with children by demonstrating support, empathy, and respect. This involves actively listening to children, validating their emotions, and providing positive feedback that helps to build their confidence.

5. Flexibility

Children come from different backgrounds, have diverse learning styles, and exhibit unique developmental needs. Therefore, Early Childhood Educators must be able to modify and kaizen their teaching strategies to meet the specific needs of each child. It’s not a one-size-fits-all approach to teaching children.

Are you eligible to study Early Childhood Education?

Following are the general entry requirements to study Early Childhood Education:

Academic Entry	Minimum Score
STPM	CGPA 2.0
Matriculation	CGPA 2.0
A-Levels	Aggregated score of 7
UEC	Grade C8 in 5 academic subjects
IB Diploma	24
Australian Matriculation (ATAR)	50

Note: Universities may have different requirements. To learn more, get in touch with us!

Entry Level	Minimum Score
IELTS	Band 5.5
TOEFL	65
Pearson Test of English	42

Note: Universities may have different English Language requirements. To learn more, get in touch with us!

How to be an Early Childhood Educator in Australia?

To become an Early Childhood Educator in Australia, below are the few steps that will pave the way in your career.

Firstly, you must complete your qualification, either a Certificate III or Certificate IV in Early Childhood Education or a Diploma of Early Childhood Education from a registered training organisation (RTO) or tertiary education provider. Some states may require a higher qualification, such as a Bachelor of Early Childhood Education. Alternatively, if you have already completed a Bachelor’s degree in another area, you can choose to complete a two-year Master’s in Early Childhood of Teaching (Early Childhood).

Upon completing your qualification, you are required to register with the regulatory body, which is the Teachers Registration Board (TRB) and the Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority (ACECQA). Do note that each state has different TRB requirements, and it is best for you to check out the requirements before deciding which course to take, as not all states have the same recognition system.

Furthermore, before you start your job as a registered Early Childhood Educator, you have to get a valid Working with Children Check clearance, which verifies that you have passed a criminal record check. Also, some employers may prefer that you have a First Aid Certificate to better prepare for the job. Reach out to us if you need more information.

Moreover, if you are thinking of migrating to Australia, studying Early Childhood Educator can be the right choice for you, given Australia’s high demand for early childhood educators due to the increasing need for quality early childhood education and care services.

By following these steps, you can become a qualified and registered Early Childhood Educator in Australia.

Top Universities to Study Early Childhood Education in Australia

1. Australia Catholic University (ACU)

Australia Catholic University (ACU), a publicly-funded university with seven campuses across the country – Ballarat, Blacktown, Brisbane, Canbera, Melbourne, North Sydney and Strathfield . ACU offers a wide range of undergraduate and postgraduate programmes across various disciplines, including education, health sciences, theology, philosophy, social sciences, and business.

Studying at ACU provides students with direct access to a range of academic and industry-based experiences, including placements in schools and early childhood settings. The university’s educators are experts in their field, with many having extensive experience in education and research. ACU graduates are highly sought after by employers due to their practical skills, theoretical knowledge, and ability to engage with diverse communities.

Programme Offered	Duration	Intake	Indicative Fees (2023)
Bachelor of Early Childhood Education (Birth to Five Years)	4 Years	February	International Students: AU$102,272
Bachelor of Education (Early Childhood and Primary)	4 Years	February	International Students: AU$102,272