Skills First Government Funded Child Care Courses in Victoria… Am I Eligible? 

29-Apr-21

There has never been a better time to study the CHC30113 Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care or CHC50113 Diploma of Early Childhood Education and Care. Not only can you now gain the skills needed to work in a meaningful and rewarding career, but you may also be eligible for Government Funding!

When choosing a course, it’s important to find out what you’ll have to pay, and if you can get any assistance with your fees. At Suzan Johnston Training Organisation, we understand it can be a bit overwhelming for prospective students to work out if they qualify for funding. To help you, we’ve put together this article to make sense of it all.

What Government Funding is Available?

There are currently two types of Government Funding available for students: JobTrainer and Skills First.

This article will go through the key points of Skills First government-funding. To find out more about JobTrainer, please click here.

What is Skills First?

Skills First is a Victorian Government subsided training program to support Victorians to upskill. It makes it easier for people to pay for training when they haven’t previously done any study or are finding it difficult to get a job with their current qualifications.

Training is subsidised because there is a current or predicted demand for jobs in the Childcare industry. This means that by gaining Skills First funded qualifications in the Childcare industry, your employment prospects will improve and you will be in demand.

The funding can only be accessed through selected TAFEs and RTOs (Registered Training Organisations) such as the Suzan Johnston Training Organisation. It’s important to note that places are strictly limited.

What Courses Are Covered by Skills First Funding?

Skills First funding is available to people enrolling in either of our:

• CHC30113 Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care

OR

• CHC50113 Diploma of Early Childhood Education and Care

Do I Qualify for Skills First Government Funded Child Care Training?

Skills First Government Subsidised Training is available to all Australian/New Zealand Citizens or Permanent Residents, and you must be either:

• Aged between 15 – 19 years on 1st January in the year of course commencement

OR

• Anyone (regardless of age) gaining a higher qualification than they already hold

In addition to this, you will need to have:

• Participated in and/or enrolled to commence in LESS than two other government funded training courses in the year of course commencement (this includes courses listed in the Approved Foundation Skills List)
• Not already commenced two government funded courses at the same Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) level as the course you are seeking to enrol in now
• Have a physical presence in Victoria and be able to attend face-to-face delivery at our Melbourne campus (Level 22, 120 Spencer Street, Melbourne) or participate in training via our virtual platform

How Much Will a Skills First Government Funded Child Care Course Cost Me?

Skills First Government Funding allows eligible students to study a Child Care qualification at greatly reduced cost.

Our Government Funded Course fees are as follows:

• CHC30113 Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care costs $295.00 (or $59.00 for Concession holders)
• CHC50113 Diploma of Early Childhood Education and Care costs $395.00 (or $79 for Concession holders)

Don’t miss out on this amazing opportunity – chat with one of our consultants today to see if you are eligible for a government-funded place. Contact us today!