Higher Learning For Early Childhood
Sun Herald
Sunday October 3, 2004
"WANTED: Nanny to look after two preschool children on remote property. Must be be able to stimulate their development, understand their needs, ensure their health and safety and be able to identify illness, apply basic first aid and prepare nutritional meals."
That advertisement appeared recently in a country newspaper and no doubt there were plenty of people qualified for the job.But it wasn't long ago that few applicants had those specialised skills in child care that employers wanted.As the advertisement shows, however, today's employers expect their child-care workers to be properly skilled in a whole range of areas.Vanessa Webb, 19, loved being around children so she began a TAFE course at Orange for half a day per week while in year 11 at Molong Central School.At the end of year 12 she decided she wanted to do the two-year full-time TAFE diploma course in children's services because she saw there was a need for carers and teachers who understood the needs of young children and the way they developed."After doing the course you are qualified to work in child-care centres or preschools, family day-care schemes, respite care and, in the smaller towns, you can work as a director of a child-care centre if it has less than 29 children," Ms Webb said."After that you have to have a university degree to be a director so I have applied to go full-time next year at Charles Sturt University at Bathurst to do its three-year bachelor of education in early childhood."There is also a University of New England course at Armidale for diploma students but you have to work for a year first and then do two years at university."Ms Webb said her goal was to get the qualifications that would enable her to work in a school system in kindergarten, year 1 and 2 or in some schools in classes up to year 6.She said she didn't want to go to university straight from school and TAFE was a good opportunity to be one step closer to getting her qualifications. Her two years at TAFE will count for her first year at university.The TAFE course is a combination of theory and practical work. Orange TAFE has its own child-care centre for several days a week where students work with young children. Students also do work experience as part of their course.The diploma course covers a range of modules including child development, care for babies and children, understanding children's interests, health and safety, response to illness, accidents and emergencies, preparing nutritionally balanced food, basic first aid, music and movement. Students also design, implement and evaluate programs.The 504-hour certificate III course enables people to get jobs as child-care workers and can be done full-time three days a week for a year or by flexible delivery with monthly weekend workshops.TAFE-trained people now finish their courses with qualifications recognised in every Australian state because the courses are based on national training packages.THE NEXT STEP* The TAFE diploma and certificate III courses in children's services are available at 36 colleges throughout NSW. Normal TAFE fees apply with additional costs of about $350 a year.* The entrance requirements for the diploma course include year 12 or equivalent with a minimum of 10 units in the HSC record of achievement, plus a satisfactory level of achievement in HSC English.* The School Certificate is sufficient for the certificate III course. Mature students are accepted for both courses.
© 2004 Sun Herald