The early education sector is struggling to find enough staff due to COVID, influenza and burnout. With services failing to achieve educator-to-child ratios due to colder weather, the relaxation of mask rules for staff, and an increase in colds and flu.

The NSW and Commonwealth governments are providing fee-free part and full qualification courses for job searchers and existing workers in the early childhood education and care sector under the NSW JobTrainer programme. JobTrainer provides fee-free training that is fully financed by the NSW and Commonwealth governments.

The going wage for a nanny in Sydney, according to nanny agencies and the Find a Babysitter website, is between $25 and $40 per hour, based on experience and qualifications. Casual childcare in the evening might cost up to $45 per hour. While the third year of a Certificate 3 certification, the award wage for a childcare worker is $25.26 per hour.

According to the most recent job figures, the need for childcare employees is at an all-time high. More than 3000 Educators are required in Sydney alone, with a total of 16,000 required across the country. In addition to the shortage, 37% of workers intend to leave the industry, many of whom are dissatisfied with their salary and working conditions, a sentiment compounded by the pandemic.

The National Children’s Education and Care Workforce Strategy (2022-2031) has been developed to support the recruitment, retention, sustainability and quality of the sector workforce.

For Victoria Educators, if you hold a diploma in early childhood education, you can complete this specialised Bachelor of Early Childhood Teaching in just two years, graduating ready to work as an early childhood teacher. The course complements our three-year Bachelor of Early Childhood Education, which caters to applicants without a diploma in the discipline.

The scholarships provide financial assistance to scholars who intend to be or who are employed in NSW early childhood education services. Scholarships of up to $20,000 each will be offered to those commencing or completing a bachelor-level early childhood teaching degree. This degree can be studied at universities or other vocational education and training providers (e.g. TAFE).

Wage discussions and salary negotiations with employers are sure to rank high in any list of difficult conversations for educators – riddled as the issue is with a range of complexities, from personal aspirations to sector-wide trends. The following article lists strategies on how to talk to your employer about pay, including knowing your worth, being prepared, using open-ended questions and more.

Edutribe has arranged a free job interview training guide for Early Childhood Educators including mock-up interviews, CV and cover letter templates, interview questions and more.

As of the 13th of May, the Public Health Order relating to vaccination of education and care workers has not been extended. This means that Early Childhood Services may choose to implement their own policies around staff vaccination.