Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care (International)

Tuition fee: $10,000

Materials fee: $300 (includes MCIE T-Shirt)

Administration fee: $200

Enrolment fees include additional resources required for the program and student ID charges. For additional service fees, such as re-assessment fees or Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL), please refer to the International Student Handbook.

Job titles may include:

• Childcare Worker

• Family Day Carer

• Child Carer

• Childcare Assistant

Workforce demand

According to the Victorian Skills Authority, there were 31,021 Child Carers employed in Victoria in 2022, with 2,734 workers required by 2025.

The National Skills Commission indicates:

• There are currently 136,100 Child Carers employed in Australia

• Future growth for this role is at nearly 6%

• Weekly earnings for Child Carers are around $1,059

• 47% of Child Carers work full-time

• 95% of Child Carers are women, with an average age of 33.

Prerequisites

There are no prerequisite qualifications required to enter this program.

Education and skills

Students must complete a Pre-Training Review, meet the Language, Literacy and Numeracy (LLN) skill standards for this program level, and demonstrate they are a suitable candidate for this program.

English Language requirements

Candidates must meet one of the following English Language proficiency requirements:

• IELTS band score of 5.5, or an equivalent internationally recognised exam result in line with Department of Home Affairs (DHA) regulations

• Satisfactory completion of an ELICOS program at Upper-intermediate level from Explore English, or other NEAS endorsed English language centre

• Certificate of completion equivalent to, or higher than, an Australian Year 11 qualification from an English-speaking country

• Completion of MCIE’s English Placement Test with an overall score equivalent to IELTS 5.5, or above

• Other English language proficiency tests, such as TOEFL and OET, will also be considered.

Candidates who have completed 1 year of study in Australia in English within the past 2 years at Certificate IV or AQF level 4 and above are exempt from submitting Australian Year 11 completion certificate or equivalent and Evidence of English Proficiency.

Regulatory

MCIE only accepts international students who will be 18 years of age by the time of course commencement.

To begin your training at MCIE, you will need a Unique Student Identifier (USI). The USI is a personal reference that creates a secure online record of your VET training. It is managed by the Australian Government and is kept for up to 30 years.

It can be accessed anywhere, anytime. When you arrive in Australia, your visa will be activated and you can then apply for a USI. It is free to create a USI. You need a USI to receive your qualification, or statement of attainment. For further information visit www.usi.gov.au/about.

Students with disabilities

MCIE welcomes all people with disabilities, learning differences and medical conditions. Acceptance in this program is subject to candidates’ ability to undertake all program requirements as discussed in the Pre-Training Review, with reasonable adjustments where applicable.

Digital technology

Students must have sufficient digital literacy skills to access online content, enter answers to written questions and communicate with trainers via email, the student portal and the learning management system.

Industry requirements

Candidates may be asked to provide evidence of the following for work placement (requirements vary according to host employer policies):

• National Police Check

• Working with Children Check

• Flu vaccination and COVID-19 vaccinations

Prior experience

Credit Transfer (CT) and Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) are available. Credit Transfer is free of charge. RPL application fees are $145 per hour. Please click here for more information on RPL fees, terms and conditions.

Blended classroom training
This program is delivered through a blend of face-to-face classes on MCIE campus and online learning for a total of 20 hours per week.

Assessment
Assessment for this program includes written tasks, long and short answer questions, multiple choice quizzes, group tasks, oral presentations, role plays, scenarios, case studies, work placement journals, logbooks, portfolios and projects. Most assessments are delivered online via the Canvas LMS.

Required equipment

We recommend that students have access to a laptop or tablet to submit their assessments. MCIE provides access to Microsoft Office.

Work placement

Students must complete 160 mandatory placement hours for the work-based training component of this program. The MCIE Work Placement Coordinator will organise your placement with one of our host employers.