How to become an Early Childhood Teacher

Official title: Early Childhood (Pre-primary School) Teacher

Also called: Kindergarten (Pre-primary School) Teacher, Preschool Teacher

Designs, plans, teaches and evaluates educational programs and practices for young children, including following and implementing an approved learning framework in an early childhood setting.

Main tasks

• Develops and delivers educational programs based on an approved learning framework
• Promotes the safety, health, wellbeing, learning and development of young children
• Provides pedagogical leadership
• Coaches, mentors and supervises staff
• Builds and maintains strong reciprocal relationships with young children and their families
• Complies with service policies and national and/or state-based education legislation
• Works in partnership with families, community members and external agencies to promote the education, care and wellbeing of children
• Maintains records of each child's learning, wellbeing, development, participation and progress, and communicates this with families

Ways in

• University: Education & Teaching degrees, Offered by 37 universities in Australia
• TAFE and VET: Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care (CHC30121); Graduate Diploma of Adult Language, Literacy and Numeracy Practice (TAE80113)
• Licence or registration: Registration or licensing is required.

Pay · Outlook · AI and this job

• Typical full-time pay: $99,112 a year
• About 79,800 people work in this job group now, and about 89,400 are projected by 2035. (+12.1%)
• AI is more likely to help with parts of this job than to do it. Jobs and Skills Australia rates its automation exposure as low.

Related jobs

• Specialist Teacher (Vision Impairment)
• Primary School Teacher
• Secondary School Teacher
• Special Education Teacher
• Teacher of the Deaf
• Teacher Librarian

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Questions people ask

How do I become an Early Childhood Teacher?

Ways in include: Education & Teaching degrees; Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care; Graduate Diploma of Adult Language, Literacy and Numeracy Practice.

How much does an Early Childhood Teacher earn in Australia?

Median full-time pay is $99,112 a year (Jobs and Skills Australia).

Is an Early Childhood Teacher a growing career in Australia?

Yes. Employment is projected to grow 12% by 2035, from about 79,800 to about 89,400 people (Jobs and Skills Australia).

Do you need a degree to become an Early Childhood Teacher?

Usually. 82% of people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

Will AI change the work of an Early Childhood Teacher?

AI is more likely to help with parts of this job than to do it. Jobs and Skills Australia rates its automation exposure as low.

Sources

• Jobs and Skills Australia: Occupation data (ANZSCO), from ABS Labour Force and Census (February 2026), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 2026-10-04
• Jobs and Skills Australia: Generative AI Capacity Study, interactive table data (September 2025), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 2026-10-04
• Jobs and Skills Australia: Employment Projections (Victoria University) (May 2025 to May 2035), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 2026-10-04
• Australian Taxation Office: Taxation Statistics, Individuals Table 15A (2023-24), CC BY 2.5 AU, retrieved 2026-10-04

Updated 2026-10-04