Students > Careers & Opportunities > Work Integrated Learning and Placements > Education placements

Education placements

Compulsory professional experience placements undertaken for academic credit in a school, early learning or education and care setting.

We organise opportunities in collaboration with local, regional, and cultural education partners. Through these experiences, you’ll work in supportive school and early childhood settings, connect theory with practice, and build the skills you’ll need as a graduate teacher.

All placements are arranged to meet state registration requirements. For Victorian courses, this is in line with the Victorian Institute of Teaching (VIT). For New South Wales courses, this is in line with the NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA).

We offer rural and interstate placements. Grants may apply to rural placements, and grant details are posted on the School of Education - LMS, located in the Professional Experience tile [La Trobe log in required].

Before you go on your first placement, you'll be required to complete:

Current students can also access essential information on the School of Education - LMS located in the Professional Experience tile [La Trobe log in required]. To help you prepare, we also recommend reviewing the Professional Experience Handbook before your placement to set you up for success.

As a student in the Diploma of Early Childhood Education course:

  • Bundoora (EG002)
  • Online (EG002O)

You will complete 60 days of placement in early childhood centres and kindergartens. Each placement day must be completed as a minimum 7-hour day to meet accreditation requirements.

Placement subjects:

  • EDU4034 Science, Technology and Play: Birth–3 years placement
  • EDU5038 Mathematics, Numeracy and Play: 3–5 years placement
  • EDU5036 Early Childhood Assessment: 3–5 years placement

View Course Handbook

La Trobe’s accredited Bachelor of Education offers you the best path to a rewarding career in teaching. Carefully designed by expert teachers and leaders in the learning sciences, our Bachelor of Education will give you the skills, experience, and confidence to make a difference from your first day as a qualified teacher.

As a student in the Bachelor of Education course:

  • Albury-Wodonga (EB002W)
  • Bendigo (EB002B)
  • Melbourne, Bundoora (EB002)
  • Mildura (EB002M)
  • Shepparton (EB002S)

You will complete at least 80 days of supervised teaching as indicated in your course structure and by your major choice.

Placement subjects:

  • EDU2002 Designing, Evaluating and Valuing Learning
  • EDU2004 Routines and Behaviours for Impactful Pedagogies
  • EDU3001 Ethical Professional Relationships in Education
  • EDU3002 Inclusive Education in School Contexts
  • EDU4007 Evidence Based Practice

View Course Handbook

As a student in the Bachelor of Early Childhood Education course:

  • Online (EBECEO)

You will undertake a minimum of 50 days of professional practice in early childhood centres and kindergartens. Each placement day must be completed as a minimum 7-hour day to meet accreditation requirements.

You may be placed in long day care, kindergartens, playgroups and specialist children’s programs.

Placement subjects:

  • EDU2ULD Understanding Culturally Diverse Learning and Development: Birth-2 year old placement
  • EDU3CAT Connections and Transitions: 3-5 year old placement
  • EDU4WBL Work-Based Learning: 3-5 year old placement

View Course Handbook

As a student in the Master of Teaching course:

  • Albury-Wodonga Primary (EM003W)
  • Albury-Wodonga Secondary (EM002W)
  • Bendigo Primary (EM003B)
  • Bendigo Secondary (EM002B)
  • Melbourne, Bundoora Primary (EM003)
  • Melbourne, Bundoora Secondary (EM002)
  • Mildura Primary (EM003M)
  • Mildura Secondary (EM002M)
  • Shepparton Primary (EM003S)
  • Shepparton Secondary (EM002S)

You will complete 60 days of supervised teaching in schools and educational settings in school years Foundation–6 or 7–12.

Placement subjects:

  • EDU5013 Designing and evaluating learning for all
  • EDU5017 Professional identity and ethics for educators
  • EDU5025 Sustaining evidence-based practice

View Course Handbook

FAQs

A professional experience placement is a requirement of all Initial Teacher Education Programs.

During a professional experience placement, Pre-Service Teachers practice teaching in a classroom environment or educational setting under the direct supervision and guidance of a qualified educator.

All professional experience placements are organised by the Placements team, on your behalf. Please do not organise your own placement or contact a school directly.

You will find out about your professional experience placement by receiving an email from the Placements team via a system called InPlace. Please ensure that you are regularly checking your student email account.

The majority of placement allocations will be released 4-6 weeks prior to your placement commencing.

You may be expected to travel up to 75 minutes each way to your professional experience placement location.

The Placements team do their best to place students close to home but due to the competitive nature of the sector and the teaching methods that students undertake, this is not always possible.

Students are not able to decline a professional experience placement unless there are exceptional circumstances such as a conflict of interest.

Please note that travel time that is shorter than 75 minutes each way and work commitments are not acceptable reasons to decline a placement.

All students who undertake a professional experience placement in Education must have a working with children check.

The application is free for student teachers who are volunteers, provided they are not employed in a school at the time of the application.

Please apply for your working with children check as soon as possible as applications can take 8 weeks or more to process. You can find more information by visiting workingwithchildren.vic.gov.au