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 provides 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.
Feedback on proposed qualifications and units of competency was open until Sunday 31 May 2026. We are currently reviewing all responses and will upload the Consultation log by the end of June 2026. During the Finalisation and Submission period, there will be a round of validation consultation.
The draft documents were based on the feedback and learnings we collected during the project's development phase and Functional Analysis process, which included subject matter expert workshops and Technical Committee meetings.
The Summary of Changes document outlines how the current qualifications and units of competency have informed the proposed qualifications and units of competency. 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.
Things we considered in the proposed qualification and units of competency include the need for:
- more focus on child development knowledge and its application in practice
- coverage of play pedagogy including nature play, creative arts, language and literature, and STEM
- closer alignment with sector benchmarks including NQS and EYLF
- less reliance on services to assess learners
- better integration of First Nations histories, knowledges, perspectives and cultures
- inclusion around disability, developmental delay and autism
- contemporary trauma informed approaches
- child safety and harm prevention knowledge
- greater accessibility for all learners
- better representation of cultural and social diversity
- a place-based and sustainability ethos.
Summary of Proposed Changes
Consultation Workshops
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).
March to August 2026
Details to come
August to November 2026
Details to come