Studying a teacher aide course in WA has never been easier. With 1129 schools in WA and new schools opening every year, becoming a teacher aide is more than achievable. FTTA’s unique teacher aide courses will help you achieve your career goals. Our courses are based on international research and best practice skills, strategies and techniques helping to become an invaluable and essential member of your school community.
Enrol in the CHC30213 Certificate III in Education Support to get your career started. The CHC40213 Certificate IV in Education Support is recommended particularly if you have experience with children and want to be qualified for all teacher aide positions in Western Australia. The Teacher Aide Combo, however, is our flagship program, combining the best of the CHC30213 Certificate III in Education Support and the CHC40213 Certificate IV in Education Support.
Below you will read about studying and working as a teacher aide in Western Australia. For specific details about an individual course or program, follow one of the links below:
If, like most people, you are too busy to read this article from go to whoa, simply read the main points below:
Only at FTTA will you study and master a range of teaching and learning strategies such as explicit instruction as pictured above.
The table below compares the two nationally recognised teacher aide courses available in Perth WA: CHC30213 Certificate III in Education Support and the CHC40213 Certificate IV in Education Support, as well as our Teacher Aide Combination Course.
Code |
CHC30213 |
CHC40213 |
TAC |
Level | AQF Certificate III | AQF Certificate IV | AQF Certificate III and Certificate IV |
Full title | Certificate III in Education Support | Certificate IV in Education Support | Teacher Aide Combo |
Units | 17 units of competency | 17 units of competency | 17 units x 2 (includes 9 units overlap) |
Electives | 5 units of competency | 5 units of competency | 5 each (overlapping) |
Nationally recognised | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Class mode | Yes – by approval | Yes – Cockburn | Yes - Cockburn |
RPL | Yes | Yes | No |
Online mode | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Clusters | 5 clusters | 5 clusters | 5 clusters |
Skill level | Basic - intermediate | Intermediate - advanced | Intermediate - advanced |
Duration | 600 hours for someone with no experience with children or prior training | 600 hours for someone with no experience with children or prior training | 600 hours for someone with no experience with children or prior training |
Total fee | $1920 | $2160 | $2500 |
Weekly payment | $40 | $40 | $50 |
Placement | 100 hours in a local school | 100 hours in a local school (usually with special needs) | 100 hours in a local school (usually with special needs) |
Placement location | Any registered school | Any registered school (usually with special needs) | Any registered school in WA with special needs students |
Job outcome | Mainstream teacher aide | Teacher aide, teacher assistant, education assistant, specialist EA, special need’s EA | All of CHC30213 and CHC40213 |
Job location | Mainstream classroom often lower primary | Mainstream classroom, inclusive classroom, specialist program, remedial program, special needs school | All locations |
Kindergarten | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Pre-primary | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Primary | Yes | Yes | Yes |
High school | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Senior school | Sometimes | Yes | Yes |
Special need’s school | Sometimes | Yes - often | Yes - often |
Disability school | No | Yes - often | Yes - often |
Specialist program | No | Yes - often | Yes - often |
Job prospects | Medium depending on area and skills learnt in your course | High depending on area and pedagogical ability (quality of your course) | Very high depending on pedagogical ability (quality of your course) |
Job stability | Medium and is likely to increase with experience | Very high after contracted and depending on quality of your training | Very high after contracted and depending on quality of your training |
Independence | Low but may increase with experience | Medium increasing with experience | High to very high assuming high pedagogical ability. |
Key role | Teacher aide, teacher assistant, learning support officer | Teacher aide, teacher assistant, learning support officer, special needs focus | All support roles in a school. Specialist roles such as LLN if suitably trained. |
Salary hour | $31.50 average | $34.00 average | $34.50 average |
Salary PA | $53,300 average | $57,500 average | $58,300 average |
Teaching strategies | Basic but useful strategies such as modelling, worked examples, reading and writing strategies. | Basic and intermediate strategies such as explicit instruction. Some advanced strategies such as designing down and metacognitive skills. | Combination of CHC30213 and CHC40213 |
Behaviour techniques | Able to employ 10-12 basic behaviour management strategies | Basic, intermediate and advanced including motivational strategies. | All of CHC30213 and CHC40213 |
Knowledge | Basic knowledge of teaching strategies, techniques, programs, policies, disabilities, safety and requirements of the job role. | Intermediate and advanced pedagogy including explicit instruction and cooperative learning. | All of CHC30213 and CHC40213 |
Enrolment age | 16+ | 17+ | 17+ |
Graduate outcome | Work effectively in a mainstream classroom under the guidance of a teacher by employing a range of basic strategies and techniques. | Work effectively with special need’s students in either a mainstream classroom or a special needs school. | All roles from both CHC30213 and CHC40213 |
As you can see from the table above there is little difference between the two teacher aide courses in terms of mode, structure and availability. The main difference between the CHC30213 Certificate III in Education Support and the CHC40213 Certificate IV in Education Support is the course content, graduate outcomes and job role.
The CHC30213 Certificate III in Education Support is targeted towards a more generalist position in WA schools. This often involves working in lower grades with mainstream students who may have mild disorders, disabilities or temporary difficulties such as language or literacy gaps in their learning and development.
The CHC40213 Certificate IV in Education Support, however, is geared towards supporting students with more complex needs such as disabilities, disorders, difficulties and comorbidities. Students still learn how to support students by implementing a range of best practice teaching and learning strategies, albeit in a more complex environment with students with additional needs.
So, which course is for you?
the introductory:
the higher-level special need’s course:
or the best value course with maximum employability:
It is vital for your career, confidence, and professional skills that you study a course that teaches you best practice strategies such as explicit instruction and one-on-one instruction. Unfortunately, FTTA is one of the only providers in Australia delivering best-practice teacher aide courses based on national and international research.
You may have noticed that we like to use the term ‘research-based’ and ‘best practice’ to describe our courses. So, what exactly does this mean? In simple terms, when we develop our courses, our experts comb through research from Australia and around the world to find what works. We look at what teachers are taught in universities, the skills that governments want their teachers to have and what the research says about teacher aides and their effectiveness. Here are just three examples:
From there, we develop and provide you with the best information and resources so you can become the most effective teacher aide possible. This means the services that you provide your students will be second to none – in many instances you will know more teaching strategies than your teacher!
Practically speaking, this means that we base our teacher aide courses around a whole heap of best practice strategies, skills and techniques that are used by high performing teachers, teacher aides, schools and government around the world including Australia. Depending on which teacher aide course you enrol in, the following strategies are likely to be part of your course:
You are almost certain to only find these and many other teaching strategies in one of FTTA’s research-based, best practice teacher aide courses. While most providers teach a few strategies, at FTTA you will learn dozens, if not hundreds of practical and effective strategies and techniques making you an expert in your profession.
By the way, we forgot to mention that this list is just the beginning of what you’ll learn at FTTA – we didn’t even mention the other 4 or 5 topics in your teacher aide course!
FTTA is the leader in teacher aide training – our students are highly sought after and are the best in the industry. Don’t waste your money on an inferior product – enrol with the professionals and give your career a head start.
If you’ve read this far, there is no doubt that you have some questions – and so you should – enrolling in a teacher aide course is a big step. To help you out, we have put together a few articles covering everything that we believe you should know before enrolling in a teacher aide course in WA.
Clickable link |
What you’ll learn |
Teacher aide courses: 18 things you should know | 18 things you need to know before enrolling in a teacher aide course in Western Australia. |
How to become a teacher aide | The most efficient and effective method for becoming a teacher aide and landing your ideal job in a WA school. |
What do teacher aides do? | Description of the roles and responsibilities of teacher aides in Western Australian schools. |
Courses and qualifications for teacher aides | We outline various ways that you can gain a qualification, such as the CHC30213 Certificate III in Education Support, and improve your professional capabilities. |
Teacher aide pay and salary | Your hourly, weekly and annual pay/salary in WA as well as related questions such as holiday pay. |
Teacher Aide Courses Online | Studying a teacher aide course online: what to expect, how it works, questions to ask, is it right for you? |
CHC30213 Certificate III in Education Support: Everything you need to know | A general article covering many of the common questions that we get about teacher aide courses, specifically related to the CHC30213 Certificate III in Education Support. |
CHC40213 Certificate IV in Education Support: Everything you need to know | A general article covering many of the common questions that we get about teacher aide courses, specifically related to the CHC40213 Certificate IV in Education Support. |
Above: Build your pedagogical skills, confidence, career and dream lifestyle by completing a nationally recognised teacher aide course with the leader in teacher aide training in Australia. FTTA students learn best practice, research-based skills and strategies such as those demonstrated above – which strategies do you think this teacher aide is implementing? Scaffolding, modelling, feedback, questioning, rapport building, linking to existing knowledge, elaboration, guided or shared learning, think alouds, advanced organisers, phonics, number sense, team teaching, games and quizzes, formative assessment, reflective practice, learning styles or maybe differentiated instruction? She is probably using all these strategies!
Above: Study a best practice, research-based teacher aide course in WA and learn a range of valuable and essential teaching skills, techniques, and strategies that will make you an invaluable member of your school community. Only at FTTA will you study strategies and techniques such as reading and writing support strategies, formative assessment, metacognitive skills, individual education plans, explicit instruction, re-reading, repeated reading, intervention and remedial instruction, questioning techniques, reflective practice, setting goals, guided learning, shared learning, scaffolding, modelling and many others.
Above: As you can see in this image, teacher aides work closely with students for most of the day. They predominantly work one-on-one, with pairs or small groups of 3-6. They do not teach the whole class as that is the job of the teacher. Teacher aides in Australian schools are expected to implement a range of teaching and learning strategies such as scaffolding, modelling, worked examples, explicit instruction, whole-part-whole learning, setting goals and many others. These basic strategies are the bread and butter of all teacher aides. Unfortunately, you will only learn these key strategies, and many others, with the leader in teacher aide courses in Western Australia: FTTA.
Above: Studying with a reputable provider and learning best practice skills and strategies means you will have the ability to take on higher-level responsibilities such as running a program with a group of students (as pictured). Only at FTTA will you learn best practice strategies based on international research such as one-on-one instruction, cognitive load theory, motivational strategies, scaffolding, modelling, shared learning, guided learning, and many others.
Above: Many classrooms today take advantage of technology and use it throughout the day in almost all lessons. This is particularly the case in special needs classrooms. Picture above, an FTTA student graduates from the CHC40213 Certificate IV in Education Support after completing their placement in a special needs school. By implementing research-based, best practice teaching and learning strategies, they were offered a position in the school where they completed their placement. You too can get your career up and running and begin the life-long challenge of educating the next generation of leaders by enrolling in Australia’s best teacher aide course: only at FTTA.
Above: After demonstrating research-based, best practice teaching and learning strategies, the student above passed the final assessment for the CHC30213 Certificate III in Education Support and is now enrolled in the CHC40213 Certificate IV in Education Support. As you can see from the picture, FTTA students learn to implement strategies and techniques for a wide range of topics and subjects including literacy and numeracy. Teacher aides spend most their working day supporting students’ development such as with props, equipment and hands on activities as pictured here. Could this be you in a few months?
Above: Where do you think your skills would be best utilised? Pictured above is an FTTA student who spent their 100-hour placement helping students to develop their reading and writing skills by implementing a range of creative art activities. They implemented strategies from their course including one-on-one instruction, games and quizzes, linking to existing knowledge, immersion learning, modelling, scaffolding, chunking, learning by teaching and many others. You too could be part of this exciting, stable and rewarding sector by enrolling in a research-based, best practice teacher aide course with Australia’s leading provider: FTTA.
Above: Supporting the development of reading and writing skills begins in early childhood with phonics and whole-word learning. Pictured above, an FTTA student from the CHC40213 Certificate IV in Education Support showcases some of the resources and activities they have been using to develop students’ phonemic awareness (ability to use sounds). By enrolling in a quality teacher aide course in WA, and by learning and practising best practice teaching and learning strategies and skills, this student was offered work at the school where they completed their work placement. Could this be you in a few months?
Maybe FTTA isn’t your cup of tea in terms of studying a teacher aide courses in WA. Regardless, we want to make sure that you choose a provider that is high quality, value for money, reputable, gives you the skills you need to land your dream job, and who provides a satisfactory experience overall. Here is how to figure that out:
1. How much do teacher aides earn in WA?
2. Is it easy to find a teacher aide job in Western Australia?
3. How do I become a teacher aide in Western Australia?
4. Tell me about FTTA's teacher aide courses in WA
5. Can I study a teacher aide course in WA online?
6. Are teacher aides in WA called education assistants and is there a difference?
7. Is the CHC30213 Certificate III in Education Support or the CHC40213 Certificate IV in Education Support difficult and how long does it take to complete each?
8. Should I enrol with FTTA or TAFE for either the CHC30213 Certificate III in Education Support or the CHC40213 Certificate IV in Education Support?
Students study one day per week in class as well as complete activities at home. The best of online and class-based mode combined.
You can expect to earn approximately $30 per hour as a teacher aide in Western Australia. Teacher aides can earn more or less than this depending on a range of factors such as:
In Western Australia, there are three main pay levels for teacher aides in the public sector. These 3 levels are explained below:
Obviously, level 2 pays higher than level 1 and so forth. Bear in mind that most teacher aides do not work a 38-hour week and it is extremely rare that a teacher aide will do overtime. Most teacher aides work 32.5 hours per week which is about 80% of a full-time equivalent staff member or 0.8 FTE as it is commonly expressed. This is because most teacher aides start a little bit later and finish a little bit earlier than a full-time classroom teacher. Teacher aides are not required to complete any planning, resource development or other activities outside of student contact hours.
You can learn more by going to the latest “Education Assistant Award Western Australia” which outlines:
Note: This only applies to the public education system in WA however the private system is very similar. If you are working in a religious-based or other private school, you will need to consult with your employer for accurate information regarding your position.
Relief work involves covering for a teacher aide who is absent and is the best way to get your foot in the door.
Finding a job as a teacher aide in WA is relatively easy in terms of casual, part-time or relief work. If you are hoping to work in a particular school, it may be some time before a position becomes available unless you are really lucky. Even then, there may be competition from other staff in the same boat. Remember that most staff with contracts and permanent positions do relief work first – sometimes for a year or more. Once schools feel comfortable with you, contracts will suddenly appear!
You may need to broaden your horizons and seek employment in a range of schools in your local area. Do not discount special need’s schools, high schools and schools that are further away than you would have liked. Many students discount high schools as an option. However, for those willing to give it a go, they often find it very enjoyable. It is potentially easier to find work in high schools.
Early in your career it is important to get as much experience as possible. You can continue to look for work in your preferred school while working in another location.
Other factors that may influence your success at finding work include:
Obtaining a nationally recognised qualification such as the CHC30213 Certificate III in Education Support or CHC40213 Certificate IV in Education Support is essential. Gone are the days when someone with no training can become a teacher aide in a school – the so called ‘mums' brigade.' Schools have long realised that trained teacher aides are much more effective than the untrained helper, even if they are great with kids and have lots of parenting experience. During your nationally recognised qualification you will learn a range of strategies and techniques that are essential for working effectively as a teacher aide.
Positions are sometimes advertised online or on the jobs' board of the department's website. Often hundreds of people apply for these positions depending on the role and location. For this reason, we generally don't recommend that you hinge your job-hunting success on applying for advertised positions alone.
You may also find that some positions are advertised in the local newspaper such as the West Australian. This is mainly the case for part-time and temporary positions in the private sector such as for Catholic schools.
We recommend the following steps in order to find a teacher aide job in Western Australia:
This is the tried and tested method that we teach our students and is based on advice from schools, teachers, and those that do the hiring of teacher aides in WA.
To become a teacher aide you will first need to enrol in a course such as the CHC30213 Certificate III in Education Support and complete a placement. Pictured: FTTA student on placement.
We may be a little bit biased here, but our recommendation is to first enrol in a nationally recognised qualification (preferably with FTTA of course). Almost all schools require that you hold a nationally recognised qualification such as the CHC30213 Certificate III in Education Support or the CHC40213 Certificate IV in Education Support. As we have said a number of times, the Teacher Aide Combo is one of the best options (cost, time, skills, employability).
Schools require their staff to hold a nationally recognised qualification as it indicates that you understand all the basics of working as a teacher aide. It helps them to ensure that they get the best person for the job.
You may have read some of our other articles where we discuss research that showed how untrained teacher aides give students the answers around 68% of the time while teachers only give students the answers around 11% of the time. What this means is that people without proper training are more concerned with task completion than conceptual understanding (something you will learn in your course). This has a big effect on the learning outcomes of children.
Before starting your new journey as a teacher aide and beginning your hunt for a new job, you might want to first think about where you would prefer to work. We advise students to cast a wide net and to apply or put your name down everywhere within a reasonable drive. However, for some, narrowing down where you begin your search is a more manageable approach. Here are the main categories you should consider:
FTTA is the main provider for teacher aide qualifications in WA. Your other option is enrolling with a local TAFE. This is best if you are a younger student such as in year 12 and would prefer to be in class and in a similar environment to a high school. If you are considering an online program or blended (part online and part class), private providers like FTTA are more suitable. The majority of adult learners enrol with private providers.
Your course has several components. Firstly, there is the theoretical (what we call the theory part) of your course. The theory part of your course involves a range of learning activities culminating in an assessment. These activities include:
There are no essays or lengthy reports and most of the assessments are made up of short answer questions, case studies and mini projects relevant to your work as a teacher aide. We try to keep things as practical and as relevant as possible to your chosen profession.
Another aspect of your course is your work placement. Your work placement is completed at a local school where you will complete a range of activities culminating in a workplace assessment. Your workplace assessment includes a visit by your trainer who will observe you undertaking a range of common (day to day) tasks.
Ensure that you enrol with a provider who visits you in the workplace. It may be the last opportunity you have for a trainer observe you in the workplace and provide a series of recommendations on how you can improve. This can mean the difference between finding or not finding work, enjoying your job, or not enjoying your job, being stressed all day, and not being stressed all day. It's also an important service in case there are issues during your placement; even the best students can have issues from time to time.
Another aspect of your course that we are yet to discuss is classes. Classes are held one day per week which is more than do-able for even the busiest people. Classes are great for students who live within driving distance of the venue. We highly recommend classes if you can make it. Some online students attend classes now and then as well as tutorials. You can also attend live online webinars which are held on a weekly basis on specific topics relevant to your course. Your trainer can also be contacted as needed by phone, face to face or email.
FTTA student on placement after completing her online course and learning industry best practice skills and techniques. Which strategies do you think she is about to implement?
All of FTTA's teacher aide courses are available online. It's important to bear in mind that online does not mean that you are on your own with no support. You may for example, attend regular tutorials and live webinars. Trainers also contact students on a regular basis to ensure they are on track.
Many students who enrol online do so because they want additional flexibility to study at a time that suits them. It's more about a time management issue than not wanting to attend regular classes. However, staying in regular contact with your trainer is essential and helps to ensure that you are progressing through the course. We recommend students enrol with a provider who offers face to face tutorials and phone support even if you think you will not need it (you might).
The term ‘teacher aide’ is the broad term that we and the general public use to describe a person who works in a school supporting students, teachers and sometimes doing a range of other activities such as administration tasks. In WA, the term ‘education assistant’ or EA is also commonly used. There is no difference between a teacher aide and an EA other than the name. You should be aware that in some circles, the term teacher aide is considered to be a little derogatory - most teacher aides in WA prefer the term education assistant or EA.
If you're looking for a teacher aide job and come across an advert for an education assistant, then just remember that both terms have the same meaning. Note that if you're in another state such as South Australia, you may be familiar with the term SSO or school support officer. In Victoria, the term integration aide is widely accepted. Other states have different formal terms for teacher aides.
Our nationally recognised qualifications will take 6 around months to complete. In fact, the average is somewhere between 5-7 months. It should be noted that some students complete the CHC30213 Certificate III in Education Support or the CHC40213 Certificate IV in Education Support anywhere from 3 months to 6 months. Some students take a longer period of time - anywhere from 9 months to 18 months. The time it takes to complete your course depends on:
Your experience as a parent makes a huge difference to the speed at which you can work through you teacher aide course. This is because a lot of the materials and topics are familiar, and you will not have to learn a huge amount of content compared to someone with lesser experience. For these people, it is just a case of applying what you know into a professional context and learning the expectations, policies and procedures of Australia's modern education system.
As far as nationally recognised courses are concerned the CHC30213 Certificate III in Education Support and the CHC40213 Certificate IV in Education Support are comparatively easy and simple (compared to more technical courses such as engineering, trades, accounting, or some business courses). This doesn't mean that the time it takes to complete the course will be any less, however.
Many people ask about the difference between FTTA and TAFE as far as teacher aide courses are concerned. To give a very general and broad explanation, TAFE has been known as the provider for high school students, younger students, regional and rural areas and for students with special needs. This is because TAFE has a lot more resources and specific departments with a lot of government funding aimed towards certain groups of students (migrants, disabilities, Indigenous students, high school students etc.).
Here at FTTA, the average age of our students is just over 37. We are geared towards adult learners who have work commitments and are unable to spend extended periods of time in a classroom (TAFEs are in many ways an extension of high school). If you are a younger student or would like to attend class similar to a high school environment, then TAFE may be right for you. However, if you are looking for a more flexible but supported program, a provider like FTTA will likely be more appropriate.
This article has covered all of the typical questions that we get in regard to teacher's aide courses in WA including:
Working as a teacher's aide and supporting students and teachers is one of the most rewarding yet challenging careers anyone can envisage. Before jumping in however, it is important to consider whether this career path is right for you. It is also important to take the time to make the best decision in terms of choosing a teacher aide course provider, selecting a mode of study and which teacher aide course to enrol in. This article has hopefully helped you answer these very important questions.
With more than 6000 happy graduates, an 80% completion rate, payment plans and no additional or hidden fees, FTTA has long been the go-to provider for teacher aide courses in Perth, WA and surrounding areas. Speak to one of our friendly student advisers today about your career aspirations and begin your new journey as a teacher aide in WA with the leader in teacher aide training: Fast Track Training Australia.
Happy training!
Adam Green is an advisor to government, a registered teacher, an instructional designer and a #1 best selling author. He is completing a Doctor of Education and was previously head of department for one of the country’s largest SAER (students at educational risk) schools. Adam is managing director of FTTA, an accredited training provider for thousands of teacher aides every year.
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.
The introductory teacher aide course for anyone seeking to work as a support worker.
LEARN MOREMaximise your job prospects and skills with the highest level teacher aide course.
LEARN MORETurbo charge your resume and save $1500 with our most popular teacher aide course.
LEARN MOREView resources and materials from our research-based, best practice teacher aide courses.
LEARN MORE1 in 2 study the CHC40213 Certificate IV in Education Support with FTTA.
Interest free plans from $40 - no hidden fees, includes all resources.
From $50 - courses subsidised by the Queensland government.
Live webinars, regular tutorials, phone and email support.
We visit every learner on placement to help improve your practice.
A 30-day no obligation period so you can be sure the course is for you.
Supported, self-paced distance mode or class from 1 day per week.
Learn industry best practice and research-based pedagogy.
An established provider with more than 5000 happy graduates.
The introductory teacher aide course for anyone seeking to work as a support worker.
LEARN MOREMaximise your job prospects and skills with the highest level teacher aide course.
LEARN MORETurbo charge your resume and save $1500 with our most popular teacher aide course.
LEARN MOREView resources and materials from our research-based, best practice teacher aide courses.
LEARN MOREWith more than 5000 graduates, FTTA is the go-to provider for teacher's aide courses. 1 in 2 students choose to study the CHC40213 Certificate IV in Education Support with FTTA.
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