Smart and Skilled Funding
The Australian Community Education College is a Smart and Skilled Training Provider. This training is subsidised by the NSW Government. Eligibility criteria apply. You can also find more information about this initiative at the Smart and Skilled website or by calling 1300 363 954.
Course information
Details of our approved qualifications are:
- CHC30121 Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care
- CHC50121 Diploma of Early Childhood Education and Care
These qualifications are available under a range of subsidised programs from the NSW Government including:
- Smart and Skilled Apprenticeships and Traineeships Program
- Smart and Skilled Targeted Priorities Full Qualifications Program
For the most current information regarding these programs please contact Administration on 1300 363 954.
Eligibility Criteria
This is a general guide only, students are advised to contact us directly to discuss their eligibility for the available programs, and can also check their eligibility on the Smart and Skilled website. This section helps you to check your eligibility for this NSW Government subsidy.
* The individual either lives or works in NSW, and is:
- an Australian citizen, a permanent Australian resident, a humanitarian visa holder or a New Zealand citizen, and
- be aged 15 years or older, and
- no longer be at school.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students who do not live or work in New South Wales but live in specific defined interstate New South Wales border areas are eligible for government-subsidised training under Smart and Skilled. If you are not eligible for Smart and Skilled funding you have the option of applying to enrol as a self-funded student. For more information, please contact us on 1300 363 954 or email admin@acec.edu.au.
From the first of January 2015, all students participating in Vocational Education and Training (VET) qualifications are required to have a Unique Student Identifier (USI). We are required by Commonwealth legislation to have this number recorded for your training and cannot enrol new students without this number. If you do not have a USI, you can find more information on obtaining one here. Your USI may be used for reporting Training Activity Data to the Department.
Recognition of Prior Learning and Credit Transfer
Students may be eligible for RPL or Credit Transfer. For more information on how to apply for this please see our RPL page or contact us.
Consumer Protection Information
We will ensure all students and potential students are well informed of their rights as consumers and given a clear avenue for complaint. Please refer to the following documents and links for further information, or administration on 1300 363 954.
- Smart and Skilled website – Consumer protection for students
- Students can also contact the Smart and Skilled information hotline on 1300 772 104
- Consumer Protection Strategy
- ACEC Consumer Protection Policy
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2023-24 EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION AND CARE (ECEC) VET SCHOLARSHIPS NOW OPEN
The NSW Government has committed over $12 million in scholarships to help grow a strong, skilled Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) workforce pipeline.
The 2023-24 ECEC VET Scholarships Program will help offset the costs associated with studying for students wanting to make a difference in the lives of children, families and communities in NSW.
Successful ECEC VET Scholarship applicants will be eligible to receive up to:
- $3,000 for CHC30121 Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care
- $5,000 for CHC50121 Diploma in Early Childhood Education and Care
Interested applicants are encouraged to apply as soon as possible to maximise their scholarship value, if determined eligible for award.
Applications will remain open until the allocated budget is exhausted or 30 June 2024.
This new round of scholarships will help ECEC educators to progress their careers and is available to students enrolled in Smart and Skilled. Further information is at https://education.nsw.gov.au/early-childhood-education/initiatives/early-childhood-careers/