Course Summary
Course Category: PLC (Further Education - FET) - Apply directly to College
This course is designed for those who wish to work with children under the age of 6. Learn about bush craft, group outdoor games, campfires, cooking and much more in the outdoors. Field trips will be mandatory throughout the year. It is a nationally and internationally recognised qualification. Students get the opportunity to have hands-on experience and acquire the theory to support it. This course places an emphasis on Forest Schooling and Outdoor Play. You will engage in outdoor activities that promote physical development, problem solving and social skills while learning to manage risks and cultivate a deep respect for the environment.
QQI Certificate in Early Learning and Care (5M21473).
There is an embedded award, a Level 5 Certificate in Early Learning and Care, which can be achieved if learners exit the programme after 1 year.
Course Details
This course prepares you for working in the following Career Sectors:
What will you study?
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Professional Practice Placements in Early Learning and Care - 5C21523
Children’s Rights, Legislation and Regulation - 5C21524
Early Childhood Growth and Development - 5C21526
Curriculum, Play and Creative Studies - 5C21527
Understanding and Assisting Children with Additional Needs - 5C21528
Holistic Care of Children (birth to six yrs) - 5C21525
Adventure Activities - 5N4646
ADDITIONAL TRAINING / WORKSHOPS:
Manual Handling (MH) Training and certification (requirement for work experience)
Tusla Children First E-Learning
Barnardos - The Rights of the Child in ELC
Barnardos - Children Learning in Natural Outdoor Environments
Dyslexia Ireland Workshop
Neurodiversity Workshop
Aistear & Siolta Workshops
State of the Art VR Training (BodySwaps)
Field Trips and Site Visits
Important
- Colleges may add/remove modules to keep the course updated and to meet demands.
- Almost all PLC courses have a Work Experience module, which requires students to find their own placement in an area directly related to their course.
Progression to CAO Courses
Higher Education Links Scheme (HELS)
This course results in a QQI Major Award, and provides progression opportunities to a number of Higher Education courses, including those in the CAO.
To view CAO courses to which this award provides a direct progression route, click below:
QQI Code
To calculate Points based on your QQI award results, use the PLC Points Calculator.
The Student - Career Interests
This course is typically suited for people with the following Career Interests:
Social
The Social person's interests focus on interacting with the people in their environment. In all cases, the Social person enjoys the personal contact with other people in preference to the impersonal dealings with things, data and ideas found in other groups.
Many will seek out positions where there is direct contact with the public in some advisory role, whether a receptionist or a counsellor. Social people are motivated by an interest in different types of people and like diversity in their work environments. Many are drawn towards careers in the caring professions and social welfare area, whilst others prefer teaching and other 'informing' roles.
Naturalist
Not surprisingly, some aspect of the natural sciences will run through the Naturalist's interests - from ecological awareness to nutrition and health. People with an interest in horticulture, land usage and farming (including fish) are Naturalists.
Some Naturalists focus on animals rather than plants, and may enjoy working with, training, caring for, or simply herding them. Other Naturalists will prefer working with the end result of nature's produce - the food produced from plants and animals. Naturalists like solving problems with solutions that show some sensitivity to the environmental impact of what they do. They like to see practical results and prefer action to talking and discussing.
Further Research
National Statistics for this Award (All Ireland)
The following data provides general information about this Award from colleges across Ireland.
Disclaimer: These links are to web sites outside of CareersPortal and we accept no responsibility for the information on them.
Career Progression
After Stage 1 students will have a Professional Qualification in Early Learning and Care Level 5 which will enable them to work independently and under supervision in a range of Early Learning and Care settings. After Stage 2 students will have a Professional Qualification in Early Learning and Care Level 6. Students can work in pre-schools and crèches and can work as a Child Minder in the home.