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Certificate III · national qualification

Certificate III in Automotive Electrical Technology

This qualification trains you to work as an automotive electrician, the person who tracks down and fixes the electrical faults that stop a vehicle starting, charging or lighting up.

Compare 20 providers
Illustration of a person working as auto Electrician
How long it takes
About 0.5 to 4 years
full time at TAFE NSW
What it costs
From $2,410
Subsidised at TAFE NSW, full fee up to $19,988
How you can study
On campus or on the job
Main job
Auto Electrician
$146,000 median pay, In demand
Taught by
20 providers
Every state and territory

Is this course right for you?

What the Certificate III in Automotive Electrical Technology asks of you, and what you might want to check first.

It helps to have

  • an interest in how vehicles work
  • a careful approach to safety in the workshop
  • patience for tracking down tricky faults
  • good hand skills for wiring and repairs

Before you start

The qualification has no set entry requirements, but each provider can add its own.

Where this course can take you

Jobs this qualification is a recognised route into, and the study that can follow it.

Jobs you can do with it

  • Auto Electrician

    Auto electricians diagnose and repair the wiring, batteries and electronic systems in cars, trucks, buses, boats and plant equipment.

    What else you need

    Employers usually take the person on as an apprentice or trainee, so check the training provider and state apprenticeship rules. Completion alone does not confer any licence, and some states require a motor vehicle tradesperson licence or certificate. This catalogue groups awards: verify the chosen provider, programme and intake; the family-level link is not confirmation that every offering is approved.

    Median pay$146,000

    In demand

Pay is the median for everyone in the job, and “In demand” means the job is on the national shortage list.

What it costs

Subsidised place

From $2,410

at TAFE NSW. Whether you get a subsidised place depends on your state, residency, age and earlier study.

Paying the full fee

$17,700 to $19,988

across the TAFEs listed below. Private providers set their own fees.

  • TAFE NSWNSW

    Subsidised
    $2,410
    Concession
    $240
    Full fee
    $17,700
    How long
    About 0.5 to 4 years

  • GOTAFEVIC

    Full fee
    $19,988

Fees as each TAFE shows them on its website, read 20 September 2026. Private providers set their own fees.

Where you can study this course

There are 20 places you can study this course. When you compare them, check they teach it the way you want to study, how far you'd be from a campus, what it will cost you and what past students say about the teaching and support. They're listed by how often people search for them, and none of them pays to be here or to move up.

What you’ll learn

32 units: 21 that everyone takes and 11 you choose.

  • Diagnosing electrical faults
  • Reading wiring diagrams
  • Testing circuits and components
  • Batteries, charging and starting
  • Engine management systems
  • Workshop safety and sustainability
See all 21 core units

Core units

Everyone completes these. Select a unit to see what it covers.

  • Loading the details for AURAEA002…

Questions to ask before you enrol

Providers run this course differently, so the answers change from one to the next.

  1. When is the next intake, and how many are there each year?
  2. What is the total cost, including materials, checks and any placement costs?
  3. Can I study part time or online, and how does that change the length?
  4. Do the units count towards a higher qualification if I go on to study further?

Questions people ask

Who is this qualification for?

This qualification prepares you to work as an automotive electrician, diagnosing and repairing electrical faults in vehicles. You learn to test circuits, read wiring diagrams, repair harnesses and looms, and replace batteries, alternators, starters and lights. It leads to roles such as Auto Electrician, Horticulturist, Site Supervisor or Wind Turbine Technician, and the training covers electrical repairs on cars, trucks and other vehicles with limited supervision.

Do I need experience or other qualifications first?

Entry requirements for this qualification are nil, but individual providers can set their own conditions, so check with the provider you choose.

Related courses

The national training register, training.gov.au. TAFE course pages, read 20 September 2026. Google reviews. Pay and shortage status from Jobs and Skills Australia.