Verifying qualifications: What services need to know

Hiring qualified educators is not just about meeting regulatory requirements set by the National Quality Framework (NQF); it's about providing high-quality care and education for children. Understanding the different types of qualifications and how to verify them can also mitigate breaches and other potential risks associated with employing unqualified and fraudulently qualified staff.  

Navigating international qualifications 

Staffing pressures persist in the early childhood education and care (ECEC) sector, and this is driving services to tap into global talent. But while recruiting educators and ECTs with overseas qualifications helps to fill a void and create a diverse pool of talent, a careful and considered approach is needed. 

It is important to note that educational systems and qualifications vary considerably across the globe. What might be considered a standard qualification in one country may not directly align with the rigorous benchmarks set within the Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF).  

This is particularly pertinent when seeking diploma-qualified educators and early childhood teachers, the roles most often facing the most acute shortages. A thorough evaluation is needed to ensure that educators possess the foundational knowledge and skills expected within Australian ECEC settings, and that they align with local standards. More information on how to approach this is highlighted below. 

Pathway to residency 

Be mindful that some ECEC roles may be a pathway to temporary or permanent residency visas, meaning that employers can sponsor skilled workers or students allowing them to stay in Australia.  

It is particularly common for international students, who are studying in Australia, to work within ECEC services. While universities in Australia will verify previous qualifications for the purpose of admission into their programs, it is the responsibility of students to check whether their qualifications are on the NQF approved list. 

Christo Kruger, People and Culture Manager at Futuro Childcare, says it is important to ask candidates about their reasons for changing pathways and their passion for early learning during the interview process to ensure they are pursuing the career for the right reasons.  

Of course, many career-changers often discover a passion for ECEC and remain in the sector long-term. Other candidates are already experienced and passionate educators and teachers and need to fulfil training requirements to meet Australian qualification and regulatory requirements. 

Christo says there are many benefits to having a diverse workforce, including connecting with children from similar backgrounds. While language barriers can sometimes be a problem, especially when it comes to reading policy or regulations, it is beneficial to a service to employ staff members with a range of experiences. This is especially important for the child and family's sense of identity and security.

It helps when children are able to connect with somebody from their home background. That's a great benefit of having multicultural diversity or recruiting from external countries.

What you need to do: 

• Verify recognition: Understand that overseas qualifications are not automatically recognised under the Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF), especially for diploma-level educators and early childhood teachers.  

• Check the ACECQA website: For any international qualification not on the ACECQA-approved list (available at https://www.acecqa.gov.au/qualifications-new-page/are-you-qualified-new-page), advise candidates to apply for a formal assessment via https://www.acecqa.gov.au/qualifications-0/apply-qualifications-assessment-individuals.  

• Guide candidates: Encourage applicants to review ACECQA's guidelines (https://www.acecqa.gov.au/media/34216) to understand the assessment process, which requires providing relevant documentation.  

• Respect assessment outcomes: Only recognise the qualification level determined by ACECQA for hiring decisions, noting that degrees from overseas may be assessed at a lower level in Australia.  

• Be vigilant: Be wary of any suggestions for 'fast-tracking' recognition, as genuine assessment takes time.  

• Ensure compliance: Remember that employing individuals with unassessed international qualifications is a breach of regulations. 

A note about International students:

When international students are studying in Australia and do not yet hold relevant ECEC qualifications, services need to undertake checks to ensure compliance and child safety.

Considerations include: 
- Working with Children Check (WWCC) 
- Student visa conditions (see the Department of Home Affairs website) 
- Enrolment in an NQF approved qualification  
- Dedicated supervision and training 
- A sufficient level of English language proficiency (e.g. to understand the NQS, EYLF, service policies, the law and regulations)  

Understanding Australian RTO qualifications and the risk of fraud 

While Australian qualifications issued by Registered Training Organisations (RTOs), such as Certificate III, diploma or first aid, are generally recognised, it is essential to be aware of potential risks, including fraudulent providers and certificates. These may be difficult to detect definitively, so it is important to remain vigilant for inconsistencies or irregularities in documentation. 

Anmol Lohia, Operations Manager from Hazelgrove Early Education Centre, says she was recently warned about this during a spot-check.  

“We were asked if we were aware that the license of some RTO’s delivering ECE courses was suspended. This is a potential problem,” she says. “We said ‘yes of course we are aware’. But services do need to be vigilant, because not only can it diminish quality, it can have very serious consequences.”

Anmol also points out that services need to keep up with Department notifications and newsletters, which can be found here.

When it comes to booking reliable training, it is best to confirm the RTO’s current registration and approval to deliver the specific qualification on the national training register: https://training.gov.au/  

What you need to know: 

• Look for an RTO provider number: Legitimate RTOs will have and display their government-issued RTO number on their website and training materials. You can use this number to search on training.gov.au. 

• Note the USI: For qualifications issued by RTOs after 2015, expect the graduate to have a Unique Student Identifier (USI); its absence could be a red flag.  

• Contact the RTO: Employers can verify qualifications by contacting the RTO directly and asking for their qualification verification process. This often involves the employer sending a copy of the certificate to be verified via email and asking the RTO to issue a statement about it's authenticity in a reply to the email. For example, CELA offers an easy way for employers to check our RTO qualifications whereby you can click on this link to enter certificate details and gain instant validation https://learner.wisenet.co/CCO/CertificateValidation.

• Understand verification processes: For qualifications issued before 2015 by RTOs, verification can be sought through ASQA. University qualifications from that period can also be verified via the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency (TEQSA) national register.  

• Be vigilant for fraud: Remain alert for inconsistencies or irregularities in qualification documents, as fraudulent certificates can exist.  

• Request original documents: Where possible, ask to see original qualification certificates and any accompanying transcripts.  

• Cross-reference information: Compare the details the candidate provides with their documentation and information gathered during the interview process to identify any discrepancies.  

• Report suspicious activity: If you suspect a bogus certificate or have concerns about an RTO, report it to the Australian Skills Quality Authority (ASQA) here: https://asqaportal.asqa.gov.au/Make-a-Report//?From=tip-off. 

Practical steps for verification

Managing qualification checks can be demanding, so it is important to find a method that is workable for everyday practice while still protecting children’s safety.

Developing clear internal guidelines is an essential first step, ensuring that everyone understands the procedures for assessing and verifying different types of qualifications. As part of this, services should always sight original certificates and transcripts to confirm that documents are legitimate.

Where possible, and particularly for higher risk or more critical positions, it may also be useful to contact the issuing institution directly to verify authenticity. This is not always feasible, but it can provide an additional layer of assurance for key roles. For more complex cases, such as international qualifications, professional credential evaluation services can assist by comparing foreign qualifications against Australian standards.

Some organisations may also find value in automated verification systems that streamline checks and reduce the administrative burden. These tools offer a quicker way to validate qualifications and can be integrated into existing recruitment and compliance processes, supporting a more efficient and confident approach to verification.

CELA: Has an automated system to verify RTO qualifications issued by CELA. You can use this link or scan the QR code: 

https://learner.wisenet.co/CCO/CertificateValidation 

My Equals offers a verification service for qualifications and documents: https://www.myequals.edu.au/verification-service 

Summary

Ensuring your team’s qualifications are accurate is fundamental to delivering high quality early childhood education and care. Understanding how international qualifications are recognised through ACECQA, verifying Australian RTO credentials, and staying alert to potential fraud helps you build a skilled and compliant workforce.

Robust reference checks, WWCC verification, targeted suitability questions, and a clear assessment of previous experience for roles such as educational leader or director should all occur before making any offer of employment. Strengthening recruitment practices from the outset is crucial for safeguarding children and protecting the integrity of your service.