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Qualifications and pathways

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A career in early childhood has a wide range of opportunities to advance to leadership, management and support roles. You can start as a certificate III level educator or trainee and work your way up within the sector or join the sector as a qualified early childhood teacher or service director.

Early childhood qualifications open up other job possibilities where you may or may not work directly with children. You could use your qualification to:

  • work in a school, teaching children in their early years (Prep to Year 2)
  • work in a kindergarten program in a state school in rural and remote Queensland teaching children in the year before Prep (note that working in the schooling sector requires teacher registration)
  • provide specialised education and inclusion support to early childhood services
  • work in government to
    • regulate and monitor early childhood services
    • develop and implement early childhood policy
  • educate and train others in early childhood at a registered training organisation or university.
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In this section

Approved qualifications

Find out about the qualifications required to give you the formal knowledge and skills to become a quality teacher, leader or educator in early childhood education and care.

Pathways

Discover the many pathways you can take to gain qualifications to work in the early childhood sector.

Educator

Becoming an early childhood educator is a great place to start your early childhood career. Find out about a Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care.

Teacher

Whether you are already an early childhood educator or just starting out in your career, a degree will extend your current skills so you can become a leader in the early childhood sector.

Leadership management and support roles

To enhance your leadership and management skills, having a postgraduate qualification can open up many opportunities including roles beyond teaching.

Early Childhood Regulatory Authority roles

Overview of the working for the Early Childhood Regulatory Authority (ECRA), including information about authorised officers, skills and qualifications, and technical competencies required to work for the regulatory authority.

Last updated 04 April 2025