If you're considering a career as a teacher aide in Queensland - this article is for you. We'll discuss whether you should enrol in the CHC30221 Certificate III in School Based Education Support or the CHC40221 Certificate IV in School Based Education Support.
We'll also go through common questions that we get from students in Queensland such as how to find work as a teacher aide and which course is required to work in special schools.
Whether you're in Brisbane, the Gold Coast, the Sunshine Coast, Cairns, Townsville, or anywhere in between, ITAC is the leading provider of teacher aide courses in Queensland - in fact, our graduate students are working in hundreds of school around the sunshine state.
Plus we are the only provider offering research-based teacher aide courses. ITAC is also the only provider in Australia offering integrated teacher aide courses.
The CHC30221 Certificate III in School Based Education Support and the CHC40221 Certificate IV in School Based Education Support are the two nationally recognised education support courses for those in Queensland seeking to begin a career as a teacher aide or teacher assistant. Learn more about ITAC's research-based teacher aide courses at the following links:
An ITAC student on placement showing us how she conducts small-group spelling activities by applying instructional strategies such as explicit teaching, the levels of instruction and correct feedback techniques. You will only learn these strategies at ITAC.
An ITAC student on placement demonstrating best practice instructional strategies - many of which you will only learn with ITAC - the leader in teacher aide courses across Queensland.
The CHC30221 Certificate III in School Based Education Support is the first qualification for most students seeking to work as an teacher aide or teacher assistant in a Queensland school.
With nearly 1300 schools in Queensland according the Queensland Department of Education, there are plenty of job opportunities for those who have studied a nationally recognised qualification with a reputable provider in order to learn industry best practices.
Our graduates find work in a range of schools across Queensland including in any one of the 920 primary schools, 191 secondary schools, 91 combined primary and secondary, or 60 special schools.
Many graduates find work at the local school where they completed their work placement. You can search for schools in your local area by using the Queensland government’s school directory service. In some areas, such as in younger grades, there is more competition for positions - another reason for why having a qualification from a reputable and well known provider like ITAC is essential.
Our graduates tend to begin their career in QLD by first working casually (what is known as ‘relief work’ or 'supply'). They then progress to longer-terms contracts once the school sees that they have completed a high quality course and have the necessary research-based skills that schools now require.
Teacher aides support student learning both one-on-one and in small groups. They do this by implementing a range of teaching and learning strategies.
Graduates of the CHC30221 Certificate III in School Based Education Support or the CHC40221 Certificate IV in School Based Education Support can also explore the various positions advertised on websites such as SEEK or Brisbane’s Catholic Education Office who “is the second largest non-Government employer in Queensland, supporting some 75,000 students and 11,500 employees in 142 school communities and six office locations, all located in South East Queensland.”
Many people who begin the CHC30221 Certificate III in School Based Education Support or the CHC40221 Certificate IV in School Based Education Support intend to work in a primary school - at least initially. This changes for many students as they progress through their course and begin to understand the options available to them.
What this does mean however, is that high schools (including combined k-12 schools, senior schools/colleges, and special schools) receive far fewer applications from qualified teacher aides and teacher assistants. Because of this, we highly recommend our students consider working in a high schools – many are quite surprised at how much they enjoy working there.
In addition, special schools (which come in the primary and high school variety) are often overlooked. One reason is that special schols are often located within the site of a mainstream schools and people simply don't realise that they exist.
We regularly hear that special schools in Queensland are always on the look-out for casual and relief staff in particular. Note that there are 60 special schools throughout Queensland, and working in one of these programs will put you close to the top of the pay scale even in your first year.
You can read more about the journey to becoming a teacher aide in QLD by browsing this article on the subject. You can also learn how much teacher aides are paid in Qld by reading this article.
An ITAC student on placement in the reading corner of a classroom. Could you be sitting in this chair soon?
According to the QLD government’s Department of Education (DOE), teacher aides undertake a range of tasks to support teachers. The DOE’s teacher aide job description form (JDF) lists the following tasks, responsibilities and activities (amongst others):
These activities all require best-practice training at the CHC30221 Certificate III in School Based Education Support level as a minimum. To learn more about what teacher aides do, we recommend this detailed article: What do teacher aides do?
In short, yes - students can study either of the three following courses from anywhere in Queensland:
Onine learning is popular with busy adult learners because it offers maximum flexibility combined with support and a structured program. It allows adult learners to balance commitments such as raising children and work with their studies.
Unlike the past, studying an online teacher aide course is now much more interactive, highly supported and structured - students can attend live webinars, watch pre-recorded lectures and complete e-learning modules.
Don't forget to check out our sample materials here. ITAC is the only provider offering extensive samples of all of our materials, plus our materials are developed by teachers with decades of experience. The following article may also be useful: Teacher aide course online: is it for you?
Online is now the most popular and most preferred method of study across Australia and it's easy to see why – study when you want, wherever you are, for as long as you want - you're in control
If you have no experience with children or in any related industries, or you have no other qualifications, the expected course duration of the Cert 3 in School Based Education Support is 600 hours. This is often completed over a period of 26 weeks, however the course is quite flexible (it really depends on how much study a student is able to do per week).
For those with experience with children (e.g. parents, school volunteer, childcare workers), or if you hold a related or higher qualification in any field, the time it will take to complete your course is much lower. This is because the course is self-paced so students can work though each section at a rate that suits them. In actual fact, this applies to all of ITAC's teacher aide courses.
It’s important to note that all students are required to complete the 100-hour workplacement as it's a government requirement. The placement is normally completed 2 or 3 days per week and takes 16 days depending on the school's schedule.
We often get asked, ‘what's the difference between the Cert 3 and the Cert 4 in School Based Education Support?’.
Both the introductory course CHC30221 Certificate III in School Based Education Support and the more advanced CHC40221 Certificate IV in School Based Education Support cover the basics of working as a teacher aide or education support worker in QLD, including teaching strategies (such as one-on-one instruction, worked examples, pair and group work, and formative assessment), as well as behaviour management skills (like scanning, natural consequences and motivational strategies). All students study a range of professional skills such as learning about policies, procedures, and work health and safety.
Unlike many other providers however, ITAC students in Queensland can enrol directly into the CHC40221 Certificate IV in School Based Education Support. This popular teacher aide course covers everything that you will learn in the lower level course with the additional benefit of learning how to support students with disabilities or disorders.
This is important because the majority of teacher aide jobs in Queensland involve supporting these students. Students who have completed the CHC40221 Certificate IV in School Based Education Support could end up working with students who have:
As you may have read so far, the CHC30221 Certificate III in School Based Education Support is the introductory course that qualifies you to work in any of Queensland’s 1200+ schools.
Typically, holders of this qualification work in mainstream classrooms supporting teachers and students with a range of general tasks. Usually, these positions are for lower grades and are centred on helping the teacher with basic tasks such as supervising meal times and toileting.
The CHC40221 Certificate IV in School Based Education Support qualifies you to work in these same positions, as well as any position that requires a person with specialist disability training. This means a much higher pay (in most cases) as well as more independence in terms of developing resources and implementing instructional strategies.
Many graduates of the CHC40221 Certificate IV in School Based Education Support work in special schools which are schools specifically designed to cater for students with disabilties or disorders e.g. autims and ADHD.
Our recommendation is to obtain the highest qualification possible because it means it gives you many more options. Holding the CHC40221 Certificate IV in School Based Education Support measn you could work in specailist programs such as remedial literacy programs.
It will give you an overall higher level of skill and you will have much more confidence in your work. Even if you don't plan on working with students with additional needs, having the higher level qualifications gives you options in the future.
To learn more about your study options in QLD (including the popular Teacher Aide Combo or any of our individual course such as the CHC30221 Certificate III in School Based Education Support), please feel free to read one of our many free articles or contact our office for a friendly chat with one of our student advisers.
Happy learning!
