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Vocational Degree - Strengthening the Pathways for Early Childhood Teachers

Oct 02, 2025

Picture of two Early Childhood and Care Educators
The Centre of Excellence in Early Childhood Education and Care is committed to strengthening pathways for existing and emerging Early Childhood Educators to progress their careers in early childhood education and care. 

We are doing this by developing models for recognition of prior learning to support the transition from a Certificate III to Diploma, and improving articulation from Diploma to Bachelor Degrees for staff seeking to become Early Childhood Teachers. By producing these best practice RPL and articulation models, in consultation with TAFEs and universities, we aim to reduce the burden on individual students and increase harmonisation between the VET and university qualifications. 

Alongside this work, the Centre is excited to be working to establish a Vocational Degree in Early Childhood Education - the first of its kind in Australia. 

A new pathway approved early this year, Vocational Degrees offer an alternative, competency-based route to attain the technical and professional skills and knowledge required to be an Early Childhood Teacher. 

This new model is designed to help address workforce shortages, namely the shortfall of 10,000 teachers by 2027 jumping to 30,000 by 2034 predicted by the Jobs and Skills Australia, Early Childhood Education and Care Workforce Capacity Study. 

It is envisaged that graduates of an Early Childhood Education Vocational Degree could earn while they learn, through an apprenticeship model. Importantly, the program will maintain the quality and integrity of existing AQF7 qualifications, providing equivalent standards of a university degree, meeting ACECQA standards through a different learning pathway.

Critical to the exploration and development of this new pathway is engagement we are undertaking with key stakeholders including HumanAbility, Early Childhood Australia, SNAICC, the SA Office for Early Childhood Development, unions and employer bodies.

Connected to our work, HumanAbility is undertaking research into Earn While You Learn (EWYL) models to support innovative approaches to improve course enrolments, address workforce needs and career pathways.

If you work for a registered training organisation (RTO), industry body, union, employer, educational institution or peak body, we encourage you find out more about HumanAbility's consultations via the link here. 

We acknowledge the traditional owners of the lands on which TAFE SA stands.


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