COMMON FAQ

All students enrolled in a Nationally Recognised Qualification are required to complete a work placement. FTTA can organise a placement for you however as we have many students to find placements for, you may not be placed in your ideal workplace. Students may approach a local workplace of their preference and ask if a place is available. Many students have someone in their circle of friends, family and acquaintances who may be able to assist. FTTA will then ensure the workplace is suitable and discuss the requirements with the school. More information is provided during your course.

You may do a placement in a school where your child attends, however it is standard practice to not be in the same classroom as this can cause issues.

The CHC30213 Certificate III in Education Support is the entry level qualification. It covers all of the basic topics of working as a teacher assistant. The CHC40213 Certificate IV in Education Support is a higher level qualification and is more specialised. The CHC40213 Certificate IV in Education Support covers most of the topics in the CHC30213 Certificate III in Education Support as well as having a heavier emphasis on working with children with special needs. Teacher assistants who work with special needs may be paid a higher salary.

Yes – you can request the hardcopy of your learner guide. All class based students are supplied with a learner guide in hardcopy format. Note that students will need access to a computer on a regular basis in order to complete learning and assessment activities such as viewing lectures.

There are strict rules set down by the government that determines who is eligible for subsidized fees. You can read the information provided under the fee’s tab of each course or speak to an FTTA student adviser about your situation. Students must live in Queensland. Generally speaking, students cannot have completed a qualification at the same or higher level as the qualification being applied for.

Unfortunately, FTTA do not currently enrol students who are in Australia on a student visa.

There are no exams, essays or tests. The assessments consist of short answer questions, a workplace portfolio, workplace scenarios and verbal questions as well as a workplace demonstration which is conducted during your placement.

Each case is different however RPL typically requires several years’ experience in the same role as the course being applied for as well as previous training such as PDs or courses. RPL is most commonly undertaken as an assessment only pathway, meaning students simply complete the course assessments, and skip the learning part which makes up about 80% of the course time. It is best to email FTTA with as many details as possible so that we can reply with accurate advice.

FTTA trainers offer exceptional support to all students. All students can email trainers at any time. Students can also call their trainers directly to discuss issues and ask questions or even pop in for a chat. With a graduation rate of well over 80%, FTTA's support is exceptional and gets results.

Our courses are expected to take 18 weeks to complete. As this course is self-paced, some students can finish in a shorter period of time, while others may take longer. It also depends on the number of hours you are able to devote per week, previous study experience and experience with children (including your own). Students who need additional support such as those with no previous workplace experience, may be placed on a longer program in negotiation with their trainer.

Classes are available in some areas such as Perth (Cockburn) and Brisbane however please check the calendar for availability. We limit class sizes and almost all classes fill up, so it is best to enrol well in advance to secure your place

Students can attend a series of workshops while enrolled with FTTA (subject to availability) in certain courses. These workshops typically run for one day per week for ten weeks. Sometimes FTTA run classes over longer periods. Most of your study is completed outside of these workshops. Each workshop aims to introduce students to the course topic. We use the term 'class' for simplicity, however they are more like tutorials, to give students some additional face to face time with trainers and to allow you to interact with other people in the same boat.

Students enrol in distance courses to maximise flexibility due to being time poor, having family or other commitments or due to living too far from the class location. Distance students follow a structured and supported program with ongoing regular contact from their trainer including live webinars. Students complete set learning tasks followed by the assessments and a placement. All students attend a placement and are visited by their trainer/assessor.

The majority of students who enroll haven’t been in a classroom or studied for many years. Our trainers are experienced and skilled practitioners who are there to help you every step of the way. We specialise in providing training and assessment services to busy adult learners. The average student age is 37 - so we understand the pressures and stresses that come with studying and learning later in life.

Payments are made by Direct Debit using Commonwealth Banks DD system and are automatically deducted on a regular basis depending on your chosen payment plan.

The Teacher’s Aide Combo allows students to complete two similar qualifications at the same time. Students must complete all of the requirements of both qualifications, however as there are significant overlaps, the time required is reduced substantially. In fact, the difference between the two courses is very small (of the 17 units, 9 units are identical, and 7 units are nested meaning the higher level course has a slightly more advanced version of the same unit found in the lower level course).

As classes are limited in numbers and generally fill up quickly, places are only provided to students who are able to attend all workshops. Some exceptions apply such as students with special needs.