The NSW Government will spend $281.6 million over the course of four years on a set of initiatives designed to increase the number of employees working in the early childhood education and care industry, keep on board current teachers and educators, and give current employees more opportunities to advance their careers.
Over 18,000 present and future early learning professionals are anticipated to gain from this historic investment.
It honours early childhood educators and teachers for their unwavering commitment to improving the lives of kids and families in NSW.
The workforce package will address the continuous lack of skilled early childhood educators and teachers as well as the rising demand for them.
To create and offer a diverse range of activities with a strong focus on outcomes for our children and addressing the requirements of early childhood teachers and educators, the department will collaborate closely with the early childhood education and care sector.
Scholarships
The workforce package will turbocharge our scholarship program by creating more scholarships, with greater flexibility and a focus on retention after study.
Higher Education Scholarships
Scholarships of up to $25,000 are on offer to provide financial support for students completing a bachelor-level qualification in early childhood teaching.
Students may also be eligible for a completion incentive payment if they remain employed in the early childhood education and care sector.
VET Scholarships
Scholarships of up to $2,000 are on offer to provide financial support for students completing VET qualifications in early childhood education and care.
These are in addition to the existing fee-free pathways for Certificate III and Diploma qualifications through the Job Trainer ECEC Initiative.
Streamlined Pathways
The department will work closely with Universities, RTO and employers to deliver innovative and streamlined pathways that better support teachers and educators to upskill.
This will include supporting Certificate III qualified staff into Diplomas and Diploma-qualified staff into Bachelor qualifications.
Support Through The Fund
The early childhood education and care workforce will be a key priority for the Affordable and Accessible Childcare and Economic Participation Fund, which represents an investment of $5 billion over 10 years.
For more information, please read the following: Investing In Our Workforce
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