FAQs

General Frequency Asked Questions – Fee for service

How long does the enrolment process take?

Processing of enrolments and the release of the unit on the ECTARC Training Portal takes 3 business days. If you have submitted qualifications and transcripts for credit transfer for consideration, the enrolment and access to learning materials may take longer. You can commence study as soon as you receive access to the ECTARC Training Portal.

Will I get a refund if I change my mind and no longer want to continue?

The enrolment fee is non-refundable, except where the student withdraws their application within the 14-day cooling off period, or they do not satisfy the enrolment criteria, in which case it is refunded in full. If a student is accepted by ECTARC and then elects not to participate in the course after the cooling off period, then the enrolment fee is non-refundable. ECTARC offers clients refunds on fees paid in the following circumstances:

  • within 10 business days of purchase – cost of the unit less a 20% administration fee
  • where a student has overpaid the enrolment fee/unit charges – full refund of the difference
  • where a course is cancelled by ECTARC – full refund.

Students must request a refund in writing. All refunds will be forwarded to the student within 2 weeks of receipt of the request. Please email info@ectarc.com.au to apply for a refund and state the reasons you wish to receive a refund. For more information on refunds please download the ECTARC Training and Course Guide.

Can I enrol in the CHC50121 Diploma of Early Childhood Education and Care without completing the CHC30121 Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care?

No, all students are required to have completed the CHC30113 or CHC30121 Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care as a prerequisite to be able to enrol in the CHC50121 Diploma of Early Childhood Education and Care. For further information on your eligibility please call ECTARC on 02 4223 1111 or email info@ectarc.com.au

Methods of payment for units

Units are purchased online via the ECTARC Unit Purchasing Portal at https://ectarc.com.au/my-account/. If you wish to pay by cheque or money order please call the ECTARC office on 02 4223 1111.

Does ECTARC offer student personal loans?

No, ECTARC offers students the opportunity to pay as they progress through their studies. It is an interest free, affordable option for financing your study. A direct debit payment plan can be set up for each student.

Some financial institutions offer student personal loans. However, we strongly advise that you seek financial advice from a financial institution you can trust. Be wary of financial institutions that charge extremely high interest rates and exorbitant fees.

Can employer’s pay for a student’s studies?

Yes, employers can pay for a student’s studies. Any employer payments over $1500 must be approved by ECTARC Management and CEO prior to being made. Payments in advance remain as credit and programs are subject to any fee revisions that are made throughout the enrolment period. Please note: Where a student is not under a traineeship/apprenticeship agreement, permission must be given by the student prior to ECTARC releasing any information regarding the student’s enrolment or progress to the employer.

What happens to fees paid by employers if I withdraw from my program?

Employers that pay on a student’s behalf are entitled to transfer an enrolment for one staff member to another staff member. The first staff member that wishes to withdraw from the course is entitled to a Statement of Attainment for any units completed and fees associated with these units are charged in full and deducted from the amount paid. Incomplete units that have been provided to the student are subject to a 20% administration fee and the remaining amount paid for these units will be credited. Units not provided to the student will be credited in full.

The new staff member enrolling the qualification must pay the enrolment fee and is entitled to use the credit amount remaining from the purchase of the course by the employer. For example, if Student A has studied 5 units of a 15 units course, Student B will be entitled to a credit amount equal to the 10 units. If the full course duration has expired, then no refund will be issued. If an employer purchases a single unit course and wishes to move the enrolment from one staff member to another staff member, an administration fee of 20% of the course cost will be deducted from the original payment and the remaining credit will go towards the new enrolment. A $60 re-enrolment fee will apply. If the sic month course duration has expired then no refund or credit will be issued.

Certified and Verified Document Requirements

What does verification of Certification Documentation (Qualifications, Transcripts and Statements of Attainment) mean?

The Australian Governments’ Standards for Registered Training Organisations (RTOs) 2015 requires RTOs, such as ECTARC, to authenticate VET qualifications, Statement of Attainments and transcripts that are provided by students for the purposes of granting credit transfer or Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL).To do this students must provide copies of qualifications, Statements of Attainments and/or transcripts to ECTARC and grant permission for ECTARC to view their records on the USI Portal at www.usi.gov.au

Where permission is not granted, ECTARC will contact the issuing RTO for verification.

How do I verify other documents?

From time to time ECTARC requires verified documentation (such as photo identification on enrolment).

To verify a document, the original must be seen, and the copy must be signed and dated by an employer, Director/Nominated Supervisor, ECTARC Training & Development Officer or ECTARC staff member. The person verifying the document must write on the document a statement that says “The original has been sighted. Verified by “, print their name, sign and put the date on the document. ECTARC requires that licences, passports and birth certificates are verified.

What does certified mean?

On occasions, ECTARC may request that a document is certified. A certified document means that you have had it sighted and signed by a Justice of the Peace. A Justice of the Peace (JP) is an independent and objective witness who can sign documents for people to use for official or legal purposes. Many post offices and banks have a staff member that is a Justice of the Peace. To find a Justice of the Peace in your area visit http://www.australia.gov.au/information-and-services/public-safety-and-law/justices-of-the-peace

  1. Photocopy your document
  2. Find a Justice of the Peace
  3. You must take both the original document and the photocopy to the JP. They must sight the original document and sign the photocopy.
  4. Post the signed photocopy to ECTARC.

Important note

Do not send originals of your documents to ECTARC – you need to send the JP signed photocopy of your documents to ECTARC by mail (not faxed or emailed). An emailed of faxed copy no longer becomes an official certified document.

Unit Orders and Completion

How long does it take to receive a unit after purchase?

Units will be opened on the ECTARC Training Portal within 3 business days of the funds being cleared.

How do I complete my First Aid unit?

All students must complete the required First Aid unit with an external Registered Training Organisation. A copy of the Statement of Attainment must be forwarded to ECTARC before the completion of the course. This is at the cost of the student (for those enrolling in a funded program, please speak to your Training and Development Officer for information about how these costs are covered). Credit Transfer will be granted for this unit, provided the First Aid Certificate is current on completion of the enrolled qualification. Where the First Aid Certificate expires throughout the enrollment period, the student is required to renew this, at their own cost, prior to their qualification being issued. To find an external training provider, please click here myskills.gov.au

Important Information: Please read the following attachment in regards to first aid changes – First Aid Information

How often do I have to submit assignments?

For fee for service/distance students, provided you complete all the program requirements within your enrolment period the time frame for submission is flexible to meet your personal circumstances. Please note however, students must submit at least one assessment task within a 6-month period, or their enrolment will be made inactive. If they remain inactive for 12 months they will be withdrawn from the program. To recommence studies, student will need to complete the full enrolment process, and this will include the payment of enrolment fees.

What is the turnaround time for units to be marked and returned?

It will take up to 3 weeks for the marking and return of assignments for a unit from a full qualification. 4 weeks for marking and return of assignments for single unit courses.

What if I receive a Not Yet Satisfactory result on my assignment?

If you receive a Not Yet Satisfactory result you have the opportunity to resubmit the parts of the assessment that were deemed Not Yet Satisfactory. You may submit an assessment up to 3 times in total before the unit is deemed Not Competent. To re-enrol in this unit you would then be required to pay a re-enrolment/re-assessment fee of $65. Contact your Training & Development Officer for guidance and support.

How much detail needs to be written for each answer?

The amount of detail required for each answer in an assessment can vary depending on the question that is being asked. Some questions will require more in-depth answers to answer the question completely whilst others may only require a short paragraph or sentence. Please use the wording in the question to guide your responses. The ECTARC Student Handbook also describes in more detail they different types of questioning you may be asked and what this means.

Am I able to get a hardcopy of the learning resources?

All learning resources can be downloaded and printed from the ECTARC Training Portal. Should you wish to purchase an original hardbound book you are able to do this by going to the Professional Development section of the ECTARC website or by clicking here. Please see the ECTARC Fee Schedule for current charges.

How long will I have access to the ECTARC Training Portal after completion?

All students will have 14 days access to the ECTARC Training Portal after their course completion date to download content and any completed assessments for future reference. To download completed assessments, go to the relevant unit and click on the ASSIGNMENTS link to view your assessment tasks. Click on the assessment task you wish to copy and then right click on your mouse and choose the PRINT function. Change the destination from your printer to the PDF setting and click to SAVE. If you have any questions regarding the saving of your online content, please call 02 4223 1111.  If you require access to the ECTARC Training Portal after this 14 day period fees and charges apply. Please see the ECTARC Fee Schedule for more details.

Can I do my Work Placement Hours at the place where I work? And what happens if I don’t have all the ages there?

Yes, you can complete the Work Placement hours at any regulated education and care service within Australia, so long as there is a qualified Workplace Supervisor (who holds a Children’s Services/Early Childhood Education and Care Diploma qualification or above) to supervise and mentor you. This can be voluntary, casual or permanent work.

If all the required ages/groups are not at the service you are at, some of the requirements can be completed in your workplace, however, you will need to access another regulated education and care service (of your choice) to complete the remaining hours as a Practicum. An ‘Advice of Practicum form’ is required to be completed and submitted to ECTARC if this applies.

What if I need extra time to complete my qualification?

Distance students have 2 years to complete a Certificate III and Certificate IV qualification, 3 years for a Diploma qualification and 6 months for a single unit course (such as Child Protection, Safe Food Handing, Menu Planning). If a student does not complete their course in the required time frame and wishes to extend the amount of time they have to do a course an extension can be granted and fees apply. An extension must be applied for prior to the student’s enrolment period end date. To extend a course for 1 month costs $40.00, 3 months will cost $100.00 and 6 months will cost $200.00.

Please note: Extensions must be requested prior to the end date to ensure continued enrolment. Extensions commence the day after the current enrolment period ends, not from the payment date.

EXAMPLE: Emily calls and requests an extension on the 11th May, which is two days before her enrolment ends on the 13th. Emily’s extension will commence on the 14th of May, even though she may not pay her invoice until after this date.

Where ECTARC approves an extension that is requested after the end date has passed, the extension will still commence the day after the original end date to reflect a continued enrolment.

EXAMPLE: Emily calls and requests an extension on the 16th May, which is three days after her enrolment period ended on the 13th. Emily’s extension will still commence from the 14th of May to reflect a continued enrolment, even though this date has passed.

How long after I’ve sent everything in, does it take for me to receive my certificate?

Once all units have been deemed competent ECTARC will issue the qualification or Statement of Attainment within 28 days.

Please note: ECTARC must have received and verified your USI to issue your qualification, and all fees must be paid prior to this being sent to you.

What information does each unit cover?

The Unit Descriptions list provides a brief summary of the content of each unit. For full unit content you can go to training.gov.au and search for each unit individually. This is the national register for all units of competency that are recognised within Australia and Registered Training Organisations must ensure that all of the content in these outlines is covered in the training and assessment they offer.

I have completed my qualification with ECTARC and am applying at Uni. Can I send this Unit Descriptions list to them?

Yes, you can download and send this list to a University for the purposes of your enrolment. They will still also require a copy of your Qualification and Transcript. If they require more detailed information this will need to be accessed by going to training.gov.au.

COVID-19 Frequently Asked Questions

Is ECTARC open?

Yes, ECTARC is open and here to support you with your studies. In the interest of the safety and wellbeing of our wonderful staff some will be working remotely, however, will be available to receive enquiries by email and phone as normal. When you call the ECTARC office you will be asked who your Training and Development Officer (TDO) is and, if they are working remotely on that day, a message will be sent for them to contact you. If it is a normal working day for your TDO, they will respond promptly. In the case where your TDO is not working that day, if your enquiry is urgent there is always someone who will be able to assist you.

How do I complete my assignments?

Nothing has changed in the way you submit your written assignments – you will have 24-hour access to the ECTARC Training Portal and ECTARC Student Management Portal to do this.

Will my Training and Development Officers come and visit me at my service?

During the COVID-19 pandemic, we are taking additional steps to make sure everyone can stay healthy and safe when we visit your service. Training and Development Officers (TDOs) are required to monitor the latest health advice and in consultation with their Manager will assess the suitability of conducting workplace visits.

TDOs are provided with Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) such as hand sanitiser to use before, during and after service visits.  They have been provided with face masks for use while in your service and will (where possible) maintain physical distancing, keeping at least 1.5m from others.  TDOs will follow any additional precautions that your service has in place (e.g. temperature checks or travel declarations).

Other strategies that are being implemented include:

  • Restricting visits to one Local Government Area per day
  • Shorter visit times
  • Travelling directly to and from service visits – only leaving the vehicle for essential purposes
  • Continuing to undertake virtual practical assessments and support to compliment face to face visits

What if someone in my service is unwell?

It is very important that you inform us in advance if anyone in your service is unwell, or self-isolating because they are at risk of becoming unwell, with COVID-19.  Unfortunately, due to strict public health requirements we will be unable to attend if anyone in your service is unwell, in self-isolation or your area becomes a COVID-19 location. We will of course treat this information in strict confidence and will be happy to reschedule your visit for another time.

When both scheduling the visit and on the morning of the visit, the TDO will call your service to ask a series of COVID-19 related questions.  Additional information can be found by visiting https://ectarc.com.au/training/about/faqs/ or by contacting your TDO.

How will my practical assessments be completed?

The regulatory authority that oversees ECTARC – the Australian Skills Quality Authority (ASQA) – has made it very clear that all RTOs must ensure the requirements of each unit continue to be met by all students. How we do this may look differently. Where practical assessments can not be conducted in the workplace, your TDO will discuss with you the options of submitting video evidence using technology such as Blackboard Collaborate. Your ECTARC TDO must observe you completing all the task that are listed in your Practical Assessment Instructions.

Do I need to be vaccinated to complete my work placements in a service?

Please visit your state health and other government departments websites for current vaccination information and requirements for students, volunteers and employees working in education and care services to see what the requirements are for your state. If vaccination is required, you will need to meet these requirements to successfully complete your qualification (unless all work placement hours and practical assessments were satisfactorily completed prior to these requirements being introduced).

What if I choose not to get vaccinated even though it is required?

Where vaccination is required and you choose to not meet these requirements, and have not yet completed all work placement hours and practical assessment requirements, this will affect your ability to complete your qualification. All work placement hours and practical assessments must be satisfactorily completed to be deemed Competent in a unit and where this cannot be achieved a Statement of Attainment/qualification cannot be issued.

How does ECTARC ensure the privacy of staff, children and families when completing practical assessments?

Practical Assessments are completed in real time via an online link where the TDO writes notes about what has been observed. At no time is this recorded and the observation is only made by one ECTARC TDO. The platform used is Blackboard Collaborate which has been chosen by ECTARC for its high level security measures. ECTARC has been using this reputable company for many years and are confident that it provides a secure base for completing assessments in this way. Permission forms are available for use in a service to seek parental permission if required. Please contact your ECTARC TDO for a copy of this.

All customisation of assessment, including changes made due to COVID-19, is documented as a typed note in the ECTARC Student Training Portal. This can be viewed by students 24 hours a day. This provides evidence of how and when this occurred.

ECTARC’s procedures for the use of online assessment ensures all stakeholders are protected as required by relevant Privacy Laws and ECTARC’s Privacy Policy. Any notification received from Blackboard Collaborate that may indicate that the security of the platform has been jeopardised will be immediately addressed and use of this platform will cease until its security can be assured.

I haven’t completed my Work Placement Hours and I am not currently allowed at the service where I am completing them. Is this a problem?

ASQA has clearly stated that all Work Placement Hours must still be completed. This means we cannot issue a Statement of Attainment or Qualification until they are finished. If you do not have a service you can access throughout this time, you will need to wait until a time that you can. For our Fee for Service/Distance students, please do not worry if this means you will need to go beyond your enrolment period – speak to your TDO and we will ensure you are provided with sufficient time to complete this requirement. For Trainees and Apprentices, if you have concerns about not being able to complete your assessment requirements please speak to your TDO. If it means that you will go beyond your contract end date, you will need to contact your Australian Apprenticeship Support Network (AASN) to discuss an extension. ECTARC does not have the authority to handle employment enquiries and extensions, we are however here to support you every step of the way throughout your studies.

I am a Trainee/Apprentice in a service and my employer has said that they have no work for me anymore. What can I do?

All employment based questions must go directly to your Australian Apprenticeship Support Network (AASN) provider. They will be able to provide you with the necessary information.

How do I find out more information about COVID-19?

The Australian Government recommends visiting the website of your state health authority as they will have the most up to date, correct information.