Aussie Childcare Network Forum

I work as a director in a long day care centre 160 place Centre
We employ 2 ECT ....
my question is what do other feel about ECT being paid more than the director is this fair
I understand the education and expense involved in gaining the qualifications, my point is work load responsibility, basically my name is on the door if the department walk in I am the ECT's boss.... in any other company this wouldnt happen ??

I think it depends on what qualifications the director has. If they've only got a diploma/advanced diploma, I absolutely think it's fair that they get paid differently to an ECT who has sacrificed 4 years of their life in gaining their degree. If you have a higher qualification, you are considered to have more skills, which is why ECTs are paid more. It's the same for group leaders and assistants - group leaders are more qualified, therefore they get paid more.
However, if the director also has a degree, they should be getting paid more accordingly.
I guess that's just one of the pitfalls of the child care industry. Experience is not as widely recognised as it should be these days, instead everything goes on qualifications.

Unfortunately ECTs are more likely to negotiate better pay or more hols etc however they do have a degree and pay should reflect the level of their qualification the same way that a Director with a degree would earn more than an ECT, most places I worked the ECTs were on less pay than the Directors