CHC30213 Certificate III in Education Support & CHC40213 Certificate IV in Education Support in Victoria

Australia’s most popular teacher aide course

Australia’s most popular teacher aide course is now available by distance or online learning to resident of Victoria. Study industry best practice, innovative, research-based skills and strategies as part of your CHC30213 Certificate III in Education Support or the CHC40213 Certificate IV in Education Support – only at Fast Track Training Australia.

Study a nationally recognised teacher aide course from Victoria with FTTA and graduate with a high level of theoretical and practical pedagogical skills and abilities. Learn techniques such as best practice one-on-one instruction, small group work, worked examples, interventions, reading and writing strategies, formative assessment, play based learning and dozens of other cutting edge skills that will make you an invaluable member of your local Victorian school community.

To learn more about one of our popular, research-based teacher aide courses, click on any of the links below:

• CHC30213 Certificate III in Education Support
• CHC40213 Certificate IV in Education Support
• Teacher Aide Combo

An FTTA student displaying resources developed by her students during her CHC40213 IV in Education Support placement in her school in Victoria.

Employment opportunities for teacher aides and integration aides in Victoria

The CHC30213 Certificate III in Education Support and the CHC40213 Certificate IV in Education Support is available in Victoria to students seeking to work in the education support industry as:

• teacher aides,
• teacher assistants,
• integration aides,
• learning support officers,
• education support workers,
• special needs education assistants, and
• many other support positions in government and non-government schools.

Graduates of either of these courses (or the very popular Teacher Aide Combo.) may find work in a range of school-based settings:

• kindergartens,
• pre-primary,
• early childhood,
• middle school,
• high school,
• senior school, and
• various other locations where the services of qualified and well-trained integration aides or education support workers are required.

An FTTA student on her placement giving her trainer a tour of the playground. Could this be you in a few months?

You can easily learn more about the types of schools available in your area by searching for government schools here or non-government schools online via the Independent Schools Victoria or the Catholic Education Commission of Victoria’s websites. While the majority of schools in Victoria are public schools, there are plenty of opportunities for teacher aides or integration aides who hold a qualification such as the CHC40213 Certificate IV in Education Support, in the private sector.

The CHC30213 Certificate III in Education Support is the entry-level qualification that many students complete in order to work in any one of Victoria’s 2254 schools (which includes 1539 government schools, 496 Catholic schools and 219 independent schools). With approximately 1 million children enrolled in Victorian schools, there are plenty of opportunities for people with the right qualifications and demeanour who wish to begin a career as a teacher aide or an integration aide. The Independent sector alone has nearly 7000 support staff (mostly education assistants), despite having with less than 15% of Victoria’s school student population.

Industry best practice teaching strategies and techniques

The CHC40213 Certificate IV in Education Support covers similar topics to the CHC30213 Certificate III in Education Support. In both courses, FTTA students learn modern, best-practice, industry-relevant and research-based skills, strategies, and techniques – everything that schools demand of their support staff and more. We train our graduates to become invaluable, essential members of the school community who make a big difference to the educational outcomes of their class and assigned students.

Teacher aides can work with small groups to support the teacher in a range of school settings.

Some of the strategies and techniques that you study in FTTA’s research-based best practice courses include:

• active listening,
• explicit teaching,
• worked examples,
• cooperative learning,
• feedback techniques,
• formative and summative assessment,
• linking to prior knowledge,
• consolidation,
• goal setting,
• deliberate practise,
• modelling,
• shared and guided learning, and
• scaffolding and chunking.
• language development,
• literacy and numeracy support,
• behaviour management techniques,
• developing resources,
• health and safety, and
• a range of operational classroom skills and practices.

The CHC40213 Certificate IV in Education Support also covers more advanced topics such as:

• cognitive load theory,
• the zone of proximal development, and
• designing down (for programs and lessons).

Teacher aides implement strategies such as scaffolding, questioning skills, and providing feedback to help students improve.

Four important topics that all courses cover (albeit to a lesser extent in the CHC30213 Certificate III in Education Support course) are:

1. metacognitive skills,
2. transferrable skills,
3. copying strategies, and
4. reflective practice.

Learning these skills are essential and help to ensure that your contribution to an educational team is measurably effective. This is particularly important during the work placement requirement of the course. Many students find work in the school where they undertake their 100 hours of work placement or by doing voluntary work during their nationally recognised course. For more information about becoming a support worker in an Victorian school, please read this detailed article on how to become a teacher aide.

To learn about how much teacher aides get paid in Victoria, click here.

Studying a teacher aide course online in Victoria

Students in Victoria can enrol with FTTA in a distance-learning mode with structured, self-paced and supported programs that are designed for the busy adult learner. Our distance-learning mode involves accessing our modern portal to:

• watch videos and webinars,
• complete activities,
• read our selection of guides and supplementary materials, and
• complete theory assessments.

All of these activities are fully supported by our team of dedicated, experienced trainers who are only a phone call away. Students can attend live webinars which are held regularly or they can even attend one of our many face to face tutorials in selected area – all of these support services are included in your course fee – no more to pay. To learn more about studying online, we recommend reading this helpful article: Teacher aide course online: is it right for you?

Work placement in a local Victorian school

The CHC30213 Certificate III in Education Support and the CHC40213 Certificate IV in Education Support require a 100-hour placement in a local registered school. This often equates to around 16 days of voluntary work in a classroom (full days). You can find the schools in your local area by searching your postcode on the Victorian government’s website. You can also find schools from anywhere in Australia by clicking here.

It should be noted that not all schools take students for voluntary placement and no guarantee is provided that enrolled students can undertake placement at their preferred school. Many students ask friends, family and colleagues if they (or someone they know) works in a school particularly as a teacher or a school manager. Some students approach and ask a local school. FTTA can also assist and organise a placement on students’ behalf however student may be placed in non-preferred Victorian school (given the number of placements we organise and limited schools it is impossible to keep everyone happy – hence using connections is the best bet).

The course placement for both the CHC30213 Certificate III in Education Support and the CHC40213 Certificate IV in Education Support can be completed in blocks or over a period of time such as 1-3 days per week. Most students complete their placement 2-3 days per week and are required to work full days (siren to siren as we say). Working full days is crucial for your professional development; managing students after lunch is very different to managing students when they are half asleep before recess.

During placement, students work under the mentorship of an experienced classroom teacher and complete a series of structured activities in order to develop their skills in areas such as numeracy and literacy support. For example, students learn how to target and identify the specific reading issue of individual students: processing issues, whole-word issues, phonics problems, eyesight, pronunciation and so forth. This allows students to implement the best and most effective teaching and learning strategy for each child. To learn more about what teacher aides do, we recommend reading our article: What do teacher aides do in Australia?

Teacher aides in Victoria undertake a range of tasks, depending on the needs of the class and the teacher.

After graduation from your teacher aide course in Victoria

Once qualified with a CHC30213 Certificate III in Education Support or the higher CHC40213 Certificate IV in Education Support, graduates can begin looking for work in a Victorian school by searching the Victorian Department of Education’s job vacancy’s database. This is where completing a nationally recognised qualification with a reputable provider will pay dividends. All advertised positions require applicants to show how they meet the requirements of the job role. This means showing that you have acquired the necessary skills, strategies and techniques to complete tasks such as:

• assisting students on an individual or group basis in specific learning areas,
• assisting with the supervision of students in school playgrounds, at camps, on excursions, in sporting activities, in therapy activities and with life skills, and
• Participating in the monitoring and evaluation of programs and evaluation of individual student involvement and achievement. (Source: education.vic.gov.au)

FTTA students learn a range of teaching strategies that are useful for all topics and grades, including early childhood, middle school and senior colleges.

How do I become a teacher aide in Victoria?

To become a teacher aide in Victoria you will need to complete a qualification such as the CHC30213 Certificate III in Education Support. You will also need to obtain your clearances to work with children. Students seeking to work in a special need’s school will need to complete the CHC40213 Certificate IV in Education Support. Another important step is to obtain your clearances to work with children which is usually done before your placement as part of your course.

We find that many students are able to find work in the school where they complete their work placement. This is usually in the form of relief work. Relief or casual work is a great way to get your ‘foot in the door’ and it is how the majority of graduates start their career. Relief work means that you are paid on a daily basis, plus a casual loading, to substitute for support workers who are absent for various reasons (illness, caring for children, emergencies etc.).

To become a teacher aide in Victoria you will also need to have:

• a love of working with children,
• a love of working in a team,
• a desire to help people,
• patience and a calm demeanour,
• a desire to continually improve your skills,
• professionalism (in dress standards, language, approach and attitude),
• additional qualifications (including via free online, short courses),
• a willingness to apply to multiple schools (including schools which may not be your preferred option),
• the ability to develop a positive rapport with staff and children, and
• a good grasp of the English language (particularly literacy and phonics) to support children’s learning.

You will also need to be well spoken, articulate, and a ‘people person’ – after all, this is a people industry and you will be surrounded by people, adults or children, all day – every day.

How long does it take to complete the Cert 3 in education support?

Generally speaking, the Cert 3 takes approximately 600 hours for a person new to the industry and who has no related or relevant experiences or skills. The course can potentially be completed faster by those:

• with experience in the industry (or a related industry),
• who have completed other VET or higher education courses, or
• with experience raising children.

As the course is self-paced, students can work through the learning and assessment materials at a rate that suits their existing skills, knowledge, goals, and experience. This means that students with experience with children or related industries can work through materials quicker than those who have no such prior learning.

For more detailed information, read this article: Teacher’s aide courses: 18 things you need to know.

How do I become an education support worker?

To become an education support worker, teacher aide, teacher assistant, integration aide or education assistant, you will need to:

1. complete a course such as the CHC30213 Certificate III in Education Support in order to learn best-practice teaching strategies and behaviour- management techniques,
2. prepare your resume by tailoring it to the needs of schools (in areas such as technology, demeanour, short courses, clearances and experience with children),
3. apply for and obtain your clearances for working with children, and
4. apply for jobs online or directly to schools.

A training provider such as FTTA (who specialises in training education support workers and who has relationships with thousands of schools) can provide advice and guidance about finding work when you get closer to graduating from your nationally recognised qualification – we also have videos and other resources on the topic such as templates.

What is the best course to become a teaching assistant?

The best course to become a teacher’s aide, teacher’s assistant, integration aide, or support worker (or any other similar job title) in Victoria is a nationally recognised qualification such as the CHC40213 Certificate IV in Education Support. Some teaching assistants hold the CHC30213 Certificate III in Education Support however we recommend the higher qualification for adult learners particularly those who have experience with children. The CHC40213 Certificate IV in Education Support gives you maximum employability as you are qualified for any support position in a Victorian school.

The CHC40213 Certificate IV in Education Support is essential for anyone seeking to work as a teacher’s assistant to support students with disabilities, disorders and other complex needs in a school setting under the direction of a classroom teacher. As the majority of teacher aides work with special needs students, this qualification makes you very employable.

We also recommend our unique Teacher Aide Combo to all of our online students in Victoria. This program combines both the CHC30213 Certificate III in Education Support and the CHC40213 Certificate IV in Education Support in a streamlined program that saves over $1500 compared to completing two separate courses.

What is the difference between the CHC30213 Certificate III in Education Support and the CHC40213 Certificate IV in Education Support?

In brief, the CHC30213 Certificate III in Education Support is for those in Victoria who work with students who do not have a disability and who require general support from a teacher aide. The CHC40213 Certificate IV in Education Support covers very similar topics with a heavy focus on supporting students with disabilities and disorders in Victorian schools and in particular working in special needs schools.

Both courses cover the important skills and strategies required to effectively work as a teacher aide in Australian schools such as:

• behaviour management techniques,
• teaching strategies,
• learning strategies,
• operational skills,
• legal and policy requirements,
• background knowledge such as the Australian Curriculum,
• professional skills such as rapport building,
• expectations, roles and responsibilities,
• programs such as intervention and remedial programs, and
• many others.

What are the topics in the CHC30213 Certificate III in Education Support?

Students in FTTA’s research-based CHC30213 Certificate III in Education Support, study a range of best practice, practical, useful and effective techniques, strategies, skills and approaches to teaching and learning. These essential skills provide you with a toolbox of options so you can master your practice and provide a high level of quality service to students – resulting in improved learning and developmental outcomes.

FTTA students lean teaching and learning strategies such as scaffolding, play-based learning, formative assessment, remedial and intervention support, phonics, and a range of best practice reading, writing and numeracy support strategies. Students also learn modern behaviour management techniques, strategies for supporting students with special needs such as Autism, and effective ways of assisting the teacher with the operational needs of the classroom.

As you have read in the article above, there are 2254 schools in Victoria and plenty of opportunities for anyone interested in working as a support worker or integration aide. The first step is to complete a qualification such as the CHC30213 Certificate III in Education Support or the CHC40213 Certificate IV in Education Support with a reputable and experienced provider who will give you the skills necessary to land your perfect job!

To learn more about becoming an education support worker in Victoria, please explore our many blogs, course pages, and videos. Alternatively, you can contact one of our friendly student advisors.

About the author

Disclaimer: While every effort has been made to check his article for accuracy, information may be outdated, inaccurate or not relevant to you and your location/employer/contract. It is not intended as legal or professional advice. Users should seek expert advice such as by contacting the relevant education department, should make their own enquiries, and should not rely on any of the information provided.