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Certificate III · national qualification

Certificate III in Electronics and Communications

This qualification teaches you to work on electronic equipment at the component and sub-assembly level: setting it up, testing it, tracking down faults and repairing or replacing the parts that fail.

Compare 10 providers
Illustration of a person working as electronics Technician
How long it takes
2.5 to 3 years
full time at TAFE NSW
What it costs
From $3,300
Subsidised at TAFE NSW, full fee up to $16,230
How you can study
On campus
Main job
Electronics Technician
$77,000 (estimate) median pay, In demand
Taught by
10 providers
6 states and territories

Is this course right for you?

What the Certificate III in Electronics and Communications asks of you, and what you might want to check first.

It helps to have

  • an interest in taking things apart to see how they work
  • a careful approach to safety around live equipment
  • good hand skills for assembling and repairing components
  • patience for tracing faults step by step

Before you start

There are no entry requirements for this qualification.

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

  • Electronics Technician

    Electronics technicians install, test and repair the electronic systems behind communications, control and medical equipment.

    What else you need

    Undertaken as an apprenticeship, or by experienced workers already employed in the industry. Check entry requirements with the provider. 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$77,000 (estimate)

    In demand

  • Radiocommunications Technician

    Radiocommunications technicians install and maintain the two-way radio and wireless systems that emergency services, transport operators and industry depend on.

    A step towards this job. What else you need

    Median pay$91,000 (estimate)

If you study further

Pay is the median for everyone in the job, and “In demand” means the job is on the national shortage list. Pay marked as an estimate is our own analysis, not a published figure.

What it costs

Subsidised place

From $3,300

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

Paying the full fee

$16,230

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

  • TAFE NSWNSW

    Subsidised
    $3,300
    Concession
    $240
    Full fee
    $16,230
    How long
    2.5 to 3 years

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 10 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

The main topics covered in the Certificate III in Electronics and Communications.

  • Workplace health and safety
  • Direct current circuit testing
  • Electronic fault finding
  • Power supply repair
  • Amplifier and digital troubleshooting
  • Electronic communications systems
See all 14 core units

Core units

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

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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 course is for someone who enjoys taking things apart to work out why they stopped, and who wants a practical, hands-on trade rather than a desk job. It prepares you for roles such as Communications Operator, Electronics Technician, Instrumentation Technician or Office Equipment Technician, working on electronic equipment at the component and sub-assembly level.

Do I need experience or other qualifications first?

There are no entry requirements for this qualification. Individual providers can set their own conditions, so check with the provider you choose before enrolling.

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.