RPL for Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care

Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care takes 17 units. Through Recognition of Prior Learning, each unit is assessed on evidence of work you have already done rather than on training you sit through.

What the assessment looks at

Every unit sets out what you must be able to do and what you must know. An assessor works through them one at a time, asking the same question each time: does this person's evidence show they can do this reliably, in a real workplace, recently enough to count?

You can read the full requirements for CHC30125 on the national training register. They are public, and worth a look before you spend anything — if the units describe work you have never done, RPL is not your route.

Evidence worth gathering before you start

• Photos of completed jobs, ideally showing a few stages of the same job, with their original dates intact.
• Job sheets, dockets, work orders or site diaries covering a spread of jobs.
• Supervisors, employers or clients who will confirm specifically what you did.
• Any licences or tickets you already hold.

How the guided process works

You work through the 17 units one at a time, talking about jobs you have actually done. You can speak rather than type. Add photos as you find them, and stop whenever you like — progress saves itself, and most people spread this over weeks while they dig out records. At the end you have an evidence portfolio your RTO's assessor can work through.

What this does not do

It does not assess you, and it cannot promise you CHC30125. An assessor at a registered training organisation makes that decision and may require further evidence or training. What a complete portfolio buys you is a fair assessment rather than a rejection over paperwork.

See what CHC30125 involves →

The 17 units you complete, chosen from these 23

You do not do all 23. Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care is 15 core units, which everyone does, plus 2 chosen from the 8 electives below. Read both lists before you spend anything — it is the fastest way to tell whether RPL is your route. If most of this describes work you have done, you have a case to make. If whole sections describe work you have never touched, an assessor will say so, and doing the course is the honest answer.

Core units — everyone does these

• CHCECE030 — Support inclusion and diversity
• CHCECE031 — Support children's health, safety and wellbeing
• CHCECE032 — Nurture babies and toddlers
• CHCECE033 — Develop positive and respectful relationships with children
• CHCECE034 — Use an approved learning framework to guide practice
• CHCECE035 — Support the holistic learning and development of children
• CHCECE036 — Provide experiences to support children's play and learning
• CHCECE037 — Support children to connect with the natural environment
• CHCECE038 — Observe children to inform practice
• CHCECE054 — Encourage understanding of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples' cultures
• CHCECE055 — Meet legal and ethical obligations in children's education and care
• CHCECE056 — Work effectively in children's education and care
• CHCPRT025 — Identify and report children and young people at risk
• HLTAID012 — Provide First Aid in an education and care setting
• HLTWHS001 — Participate in workplace health and safety

Electives — you choose from these

• BSBSTR401 — Promote innovation in team environments
• BSBSUS411 — Implement and monitor environmentally sustainable work practices
• CHCDIV001 — Work with diverse people
• CHCECE039 — Comply with family day care administration requirements
• CHCECE040 — Attend to daily functions in home-based child care
• CHCPRP003 — Reflect on and improve own professional practice
• CHCSAC009 — Support the holistic development of children in school age care
• HLTFSE001 — Follow basic food safety practices

Each unit breaks down further into elements and performance criteria — the specific things you have to be able to show. The guide works through them one unit at a time and asks about jobs you have actually done, rather than making you read the register yourself.

Related qualifications

Same training package, and a common second choice for people who find this one is not quite their trade:

• Certificate III in Active Volunteering (CHC34015, 10 units)
• Certificate III in Community Safety Services (CHC35021, 12 units)
• Certificate III in Community Services (CHC32015, 12 units)
• Certificate III in Individual Support (CHC33021, 15 units)
• Certificate III in School Based Education Support (CHC30221, 15 units)
• Graduate Certificate in Client Assessment and Case Management (CHC82015, 10 units)

More RPL in health and community services

Every qualification in this industry, which of them have a guide ready, and what assessors here accept as evidence: RPL in health and community services.

When you are ready, see what CHC30125 costs and what the guide asks you for, or read what counts as evidence and how RPL compares with doing the course.