This is a large and complex project which will review and update CHC30121 Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care and CHC50121 Diploma of Early Childhood Education and Care to ensure responsiveness to current and emerging skills needed in the sector. The purpose of these qualifications is to support a specific occupation.

We will also work with the Department of Education and the Department of Employment and Workforce Relations to explore the findings and recommendations from a number of recent reports to ensure the suitability of current early childhood education and care qualifications.

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The primary objective of this project is to support the development and growth of the early childhood education and care workforce.

A review of the CHC30121 Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care and the CHC50125 Diploma of Early Childhood Education will consider relevant skills and training and workforce development findings and recommendations in recent reports including:

Analysis of the various reports and reviews will be jointly undertaken with the Department of Education and Department of Employment and Workplace Relations which will confirm the recommendations being addressed through this project.

The project also aims to complement and build on related initiatives and reform opportunities including:

Due to the size and complexity of this project, implementation will be structured into 2 phases:

You can provide us with any initial feedback on the CHC30121 Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care and the CHC50121 Diploma of Early Childhood Education and Care by emailing us at [email protected].

Project fact sheet

 

Functional analysis workshops

We invite early childhood education and care educators to attend one of our workshops to share your experiences and thoughts about working with children. Your input will play a critical role in informing our qualification review and help us improve training products, processes and outcomes.

We are interested in understanding the everyday tasks you perform at work in relationship to qualifications like the Certificate III and Diploma in Early Childhood Education and Care. This will assist us in understanding where and how current qualifications need to be enhanced or differentiated and what career pathways should look like.

Please enrol to attend one of the following workshops.

  • Online: Monday 13 October 2025, 2 - 4 pm AEDT

Register to attend

  • Online: Tuesday 14 October 2025, 5 - 7 pm AEDT

Register to attend

  • Online: Thursday 16 October 2025, 2 - 4 pm AEDT

Register to attend

  • Online: Monday 20 October 2025, 2 - 4 pm AEDT

Register to attend

  • Online: Tuesday 21 October 2025, 5 - 7 pm AEDT

Register to attend

 

Subject matter experts

We are seeking volunteers to form a subject matter expert (SME) pool to provide critical input into our qualification review. SME inputs will be vital to the success of this review and directly impact thefuture of the early childhood education and care sector. Participants may be required to review unit materials and attend online meetings or phone interviews.

If you have  operational experience in early childhood education and care and vocational education and training, please submit an expression of interest in joining our SME pool. 

Complete the form 

 

January to March 2026

Details to come

March to August 2026

Details to come

August to November 2026

Details to come

How to get involved

Please register your details to receive project updates and consultation opportunities.

Project updates

Contact details

To contact the project team, please email [email protected].

Timeline

  • Project Set Up

    Establish a Technical Committee to provide expert advice for the project.

  • Development

    Functional analysis undertaken via 16 employer interviews and 3 virtual functional analysis workshops.

    Development of draft qualifications, skill sets and units of competency.

  • Consultation

    Draft qualifications and units of competency published.

    Delivery of 16 in person workshops and 8 virtual workshops.

    Consultation log published.

  • Finalisation and Submission

    Final draft materials will be submitted to Skills Senior Responsible Officers and any feedback will be addressed prior to submission to the Skills Ministers for endorsement.

  • Endorsement and Implementation

    Endorsed qualifications, skill sets and units of competency uploaded to the VET National Training Register.

    Companion Volume updated to reflect changes to the Training Package, identified pathways information and mapping information.

    Delivery of 3 virtual professional development workshops to highlight the features of the new qualifications, skill sets and units of competency.