Certificate III in Education Support

Course overview

This qualification is for people who work in a range of education settings including public and independent schools and community education settings.

You will learn the skills required to provide assistance and support to teachers to facilitate students' learning under broad based supervision.

ENROLLING IN FIRST AID UNITS OF COMPETENCY

If you are seeking to enrol in a First Aid unit of competency such as HLTFA301B Apply first aid, you are advised that to complete the unit you must be able to perform basic life support skills, for example control bleeding and perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). If you have a disability that would prevent you from performing required basic life support skills you are advised that you will not be able to achieve the unit of competency.

REQUIREMENTS AND ADVICE FOR STUDENTS PARTICIPATING IN WORK PLACEMENT

Some or all of the following advice will apply to you, depending on your course and the type of organisation where you will be undertaking work placement.

NSW HEALTH WORK PLACEMENT REQUIREMENTS AND ADVICE

National Criminal Record Check

Before you undertake clinical work placement in a NSW Health facility you will be required to undertake a Criminal Record Check (CRC) to obtain a National Police Certificate, either through a state or territory police service or through the Australian Federal Police. If you have any criminal records, you will be subject to a risk assessment and must obtain an authority to undertake clinical placements from the Department of Health, Corporate Governance and Risk Management Branch.

You will only be exempt from undertaking a CRC if you are under 18 years of age at the commencement of your course.

NSW Health Student Undertaking

In addition, you will be required to sign the NSW Health Student Undertaking, agreeing to notify NSW Health if you are charged or convicted of any criminal offence after the date of issue of your National Police Certificate or during the completion of your course.

Volunteer/Student Declaration

Before commencing each clinical work placement in a NSW Health facility you will be required to sign and provide a NSW Commission for Children and Young People Volunteer/Student Declaration. This form declares that you are not prohibited from working with children and young people.

Occupational Assessment, Screening and Vaccination against Infectious Disease NSW Health also requires students to undertake Occupational Assessment, Screening and Vaccination against Infectious Diseases. Before commencing work placement you will have to provide NSW Health with your Health Care Worker/Student Vaccination Record Card.

Please note that these requirements may take several months to complete and you will be required to pay for your Criminal Record Check screening and any necessary immunisations.

NSW Health Code of Conduct

Finally, before you undertake clinical work placement in a NSW Health facility, you will be given the NSW Health Code of Conduct and be required to sign a form stating that you have read and understood it.

For more information visit the NSW Health website at: http://www.health.nsw.gov.au/ and type 'clinical placement' in search area.

AGED CARE WORK PLACEMENT REQUIREMENTS AND ADVICE

National Criminal Record Check

Before you undertake a work placement in a federally funded Aged Care Facility (or NSW Health facility) you will be required to undertake a Criminal Record Check (CRC) to obtain a National Police Certificate, either through a state or territory police service or through the Australian Federal Police.

Anyone whose Police Certificate shows that they have been convicted of murder or sexual assault, or convicted and sentenced to imprisonment for any other form of assault, is not permitted to work within an aged care service if they are reasonably likely to have access to care recipients. For all other types of convictions and work roles, it is up to approved providers to determine whether the individual is suitable to be hired or to continue in their current roles.

Students will only be exempt from undertaking a CRC if they are under the age of 16 or full-time students under the age of 18 years.

Please note that these requirements may take several months to complete and you will be required to pay for your Criminal Record Check screening and any necessary immunisations.

For more information visit the Department of Health and Ageing website at: http://www.health.gov.au/internet/main/publishing.nsf/Content/Home

COMMUNITY AND CHILDREN'S SERVICES WORK PLACEMENT REQUIREMENTS AND ADVICE

Volunteer/Student Declaration

Before commencing each work placement where you will come into contact with children, you will be required to sign and provide a NSW Commission for Children and Young People Volunteer/Student Declaration. This form declares that you are not prohibited from working with children and young people.

NSW Working with Children Check

Depending on the organisation's work placement policy and procedures, you may also be required to complete a NSW Working with Children Check.

For more information visit the NSW Commission for Children and Young People website at: http://www.kids.nsw.gov.au/

STUDENT RESPONSIBILITIES IN WORK PLACEMENT

To help you understand your responsibilities in the workplace, you will be given a Student Code of Conduct which indicates expected standards of behaviour in the workplace. Students who have committed a breach of discipline or who are assessed as presenting a significant risk to themselves or others during work placement may be prevented from undertaking or continuing work placement. This may mean they will not complete the course. If you require any further information talk to your teacher.

In many TAFE NSW courses, some of the learning and assessment occurs in the workplace or a simulated workplace. A simulated workplace is very similar to a real workplace and may have clients, but is usually within a TAFE NSW campus.

TAFE NSW has a responsibility to protect members of the public (and the students themselves) from being harmed by students taking part in workplace or simulated workplace learning. If there is evidence that your skills or behaviour could present a risk to yourself or other people in the workplace, you may not be allowed to participate in a work placement, at least for a period of time.

To help you understand your responsibilities in the workplace, you will be given a code of practice which indicates expected standards of behaviour. Your teacher will explain to you and your workplace supervisor the range of duties for which you have the skills and knowledge. You must not carry out duties other than those indicated by your teacher.

You need to take particular care if workplace clients are people who may be in vulnerable circumstances - for example, people who are frail, children, young people, people with a disability or people who are receiving a type of service which may put them in vulnerable circumstances (for example, massage therapy or nursing care).

A NSW Commission for Children and Young People Volunteer/Student Declaration must be signed by students in courses where contact will be made with children and young people. This form declares that the student is not prohibited from working with children and young people. In some circumstances students may be required to undertake a criminal records check or a Working with Children Check. Your teacher will give you more information about this.

Students who have committed a breach of discipline or who are assessed as presenting a significant risk to themselves or others during work placement may be prevented from undertaking or continuing further work placement. This may mean they will not complete the course.

Your teacher or an enrolling officer can provide you with more information about this policy. If you are unsure about whether it may prevent you from completing a course you could discuss the matter with a staff member of TAFE NSW Counselling and Career Services.

STUDENT READINESS FOR WORK PLACEMENT

Generally, work placements will only occur after there has been a reasonable amount of student/teacher contact. Wherever possible, an assessment event will be undertaken by students to determine work placement readiness. Based on the evidence provided, the teacher will form a judgement as to the student's readiness to benefit from workplace learning and perform workplace duties with:

the required level of expertise

due regard to ethical conduct

avoidance of behaviour posing an unacceptable level of risk to themselves, workplace employer/employees or clients/customers, including those in vulnerable circumstances.

If you require any further information about any work placement requirements, talk to your teacher.

Course structure

The course structure below shows what you must do to complete this course. Units/modules are arranged in groups and sometimes also in subgroups.

You must complete each group as specified as well as following the course completion instructions. If a course contains optional groups there will be a statement at the top of the course indicating how many you must do. At the top of any group containing optional subgroups there will be a statement saying how many you must do.

Course contents

Online Study Option

A total of 14 units must be completed - 8 core units plus 6 elective units.

CORE UNITS

All 8 module/units must be completed

Modules/Units	Name
CHCCHILD301A	Support behaviour of children and young people
CHCEDS301A	Comply with legislative, policy and industrial requirements in the education environment
CHCEDS303A	Contribute to student education in all developmental domains
CHCEDS312A	Work with diversity in the education environment
CHCEDS313A	Communicate with students
CHCEDS314A	Work effectively in an education team
CHCEDS316A	Comply with school administrative requirements
HLTOHS300A	Contribute to OHS processes

ELECTIVE UNITS

At least 6 module/units must be completed

Modules/Units	Name
BSBITU201A	Produce simple word processed documents
BSBITU202A	Create and use spreadsheets
BSBWOR204A	Use business technology
CHCCHILD401A	Identify and respond to children and young people at risk
CHCIC301D	Interact effectively with children
CHCCN301A	Ensure health and safety of children
ICAU1128B	Operate a personal computer
ICAU1130C	Operate a spreadsheet application
ICAU1132B	Operate a presentation package

Career Opportunities

Teacher aide, Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Education Worker, Education Assistant, Teacher Assistant, School Learning Support Officer, Education Assistant (special needs).

Entry Requirements

NSW School Certificate or equivalent, from another educational authority.

To undertake this qualification students must:

Be working in a school, or organise with a school to volunteer, for six hours a week as an Education Support worker within an educational setting.

Provide workplace evidence which will need to be checked and signed off by a supervisor nominated by the school.

Meet the physical requirements of workplace performance such as manual handling and lifting.

English Language Requirements

IELTS overall score of 5.5

TOEFL 530 (paper) 197 (computer) or 71 (Internet)

12 months in English speaking employment (Testimonial or statutory declaration)

Computer Skills

Students will need to be able to operate a personal computer to access:

As this course is offered online, participants need to have advanced computer skills.

Web pages

Manage files

Conduct research

Use email (with attachments)

Computer Requirements (hardware/software)

Home/Office computer

Windows, or equivalent

Microsoft Office, or equivalent

Broadband Internet Access

Email Account

Printer

Articulation

This qualification will enable you to undertake the Certificate IV in Education Support.

The qualification contains units of competency which are common to other sectors. You will gain credit for these units if you choose to enrol in CHC08 qualifications for other sectors in community services.

Sub courses
Identify and Respond to Children and Young People at Risk	CHCCHILD401A
Use business technology	BSBCMN205A
Interact effectively with children	CHCIC301D
Contribute to OHS processes	HLTOHS300A
Operate a personal computer	ICAU1128B
Operate a spreadsheet application	ICAU1130B
Produce simple word processed documents	BSBCMN213A
Support behaviour of children and young people	CHCCHILD301A
Comply with legislative, policy and industrial requirements in the education environment	CHCEDS301A
Contribute to student education in all developmental domains	CHCEDS303A
Work with diversity in the education environment	CHCEDS312A
Communicate with students	CHCEDS313A
Work effectively in an education team	CHCEDS314A
Comply with school administrative requirements	CHCEDS316A
Create and use spreadsheets	BSBITU202A
Ensure health and safety of children	CHCCN301A
Operate a presentation package	ICAU1132B