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 CHC30125 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 CHC30125 Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care and the CHC50125 Diploma of Early Childhood Education and Care by emailing us at [email protected].
Project fact sheet
Project Governance
A Technical Committee (TC) comprising of industry experts has been established to provide specialised advice for this project. Members were carefully selected based on their relevant expertise and experience in areas critical to the project.
The TC will work with HumanAbility in this project to:
- identify relevant stakeholders to consult with about the project
- provide insights on proposed communication and consultation strategies
- provide technical knowledge on the skills and knowledge required to meet graduate outcomes and workforce needs.
View the Terms of Reference and Technical Committee members.
Our Project Consultation Strategy has been finalised and is available to download.
Functional analysis
Our Functional Analysis Report used in-depth research to provide a clear and detailed overview of the roles, functions, and skills required in the early childhood education and care sector. We are committed to developing training products that meet industry standards and contribute to improving workforce readiness by identifying gaps and opportunities in skills development. The report outlines key competencies needed to meet industry demands and supports workforce development by exploring nationally endorsed training pathways.
Methodology
To ensure accuracy and relevance, the functional analysis research process included desktop research and interviews. We invited early childhood education and care educators to attend one of our 5 online workshops held between 13 and 21 October 2025 to share their experiences and thoughts about working with children.
Desktop research included reviews of job advertisements, organisational structures, industry reports and government labour market data to understand workforce skills requirements and identify emerging trends.
For the interviews, we engaged with employers, peak bodies, registered training organisations and subject matter experts to gather valuable insights into practical roles, functions, sub-functions, skills and knowledge requirements.
These conversations helped us identify the specific tasks, challenges, and competencies employers prioritise in various work settings.
We also gained a deeper understanding of employer expectations, current and future workforce needs to define functions and sub-functions to guide workforce development, and training product solutions for the sector.
Functional Analysis Report
Subject matter experts
Thank you to everyone who submitted an expression of interest to join our volunteer subject matter expert (SME) pool. We have now formed a team to provide critical input into our qualification review. These volunteers will be vital to the success of this review and directly impact the future of the early childhood education and care sector.
The Summary of the Proposed Changes describes the changes under consideration for the CHC30125 Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care and CHC50125 Diploma of Early Childhood Education and Care. It provides an overview of the project’s scope, including the purpose of the affected qualification/s, a summary of the proposed changes to the qualification/s and unit/s of competency, our consultation plan and next steps.
Many of the proposed units of competency were written using the new Application of Skills and Knowledge (ASK) template. Unlike the traditional Unit of Competency (UoC) template, which focuses on prescriptive, step-by-step processes, the ASK template focuses on outcome-based standards.
Summary of Proposed Changes
As part of our qualification review, we invited registered training organisations, educational experts, subject matter experts, industry bodies, unions, employers, providers, First Nations people and other invested people to attend a consultation workshop and provide their feedback. These workshops helped us to:
- understand industry changes and the skills, knowledge, practice and requirements needed for the Certificate III and Diploma in Early Childhood Education and Care
- understand current challenges, gaps, opportunities and potential solutions
- identify and inform changes for the qualifications, units of competency and skill sets
- identify functions that are common across all/specific settings and pathways within the sector
- gain advice on the development of resources, guidance on delivery and pathways information.
Thank you to everyone who participated in consultations. Your perspectives will contribute to shaping the outcomes of this project and ensure the suitability of current early childhood education and care qualifications. Consultations were held in Cairns (17/03), Brisbane (19/03), Alice Springs (26/03), Melbourne (21/04), Albury Wodonga (23/04), Adelaide (28/04), Port Pirie (30/04), Perth (05/05), Albany (07/05), Sydney (12/05), Orange (14/05), Darwin (14/05), Canberra (21/05), Hobart (26/05), Launceston (28/05) and online (14/05, 15/05, 18/05, 21/05, 22/05, 25/05, 28/05 and 29/05).
The Consultation log provides a list of all the feedback we received - over 7,000 items - including any issues raised by stakeholders during the project and the actions taken to address these.
Consultation Log
March to August 2026
Details to come
August to November 2026
Details to come