Is Childcare A Great Career Choice For You?

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The Australian government has brought forward an increase in the childcare subsidy that was due to start in July 2022 to March 2022.

The additional subsidies apply to 250,000 families with their CCS (childcare subsidy) rate increasing by 30% percentage points for their second child, up to a maximum of 95%.

According to The Australia Institute, “Each dollar of additional childcare funding is nearly 20 times better at creating jobs than income tax cuts.”   

The Australia Institute

The Australian Industry and Skills Committee has projected that  “The sector expects to experience strong growth over the next five years. Early childhood (pre-primary school) teacher job roles will experience the largest relative growth in the sector, growing by 22% or reaching 9,000 jobs by 2023. In absolute terms, childcarers are expected to experience the largest surge in jobs, with a forecast of 27,600 jobs growth by 2023. Other noteworthy strong job growth trends over the next five years will be experienced by education aides (20.8% or 18,800 jobs), child care centre managers (20.9% growth to 16,000 jobs), primary school teachers (9.6% or 16,300 jobs) and secondary school teachers (7.1% or 9,900 jobs). “

This is encouraging news for those who are considering a career in early childhood education.  

Considering starting a career in early childhood education and care? Here is what you need to know to help you get started. 

There is a wide range of early childhood education roles in Australia, choosing the right career path is important. It is recommended to learn about the roles available in the market, and the responsibilities each role requires. 

Suggested Topic: Five Main responsibilities of a childcare educator 

What is required to start a career in childcare? 

Accredited vocational education and training (VET) qualifications in early childhood education, such as:

  • CHC50113 Diploma of Early Childhood Education and Care
  • CHC30113 Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care. 

Other requirements (These requirements might differ from one employer to another):

  • A current Working with Children Check
  • First Aid Certification and Anaphylaxis Training
  • National Policy Check
  • NDIS Worker Screening Check
  • The Right to Work in Australia

What are the common positions in early childhood education available in the market? 

Early Childhood Educators (ECE)   

As an Early Childhood Educator, you will not only ensure that the children you are teaching are safe, happy and stimulated, you will also be responsible for assessing their development and creating plans that allow them to grow both intellectually and socially. An ECE job is most often involved with infants, toddlers and preschool-aged children. You can work in a variety of locations including preschools, child care centres, kindergartens and some primary school classrooms. Full-time Early Childhood Educators earn around $1,488 per week. 1

Childcare workers (daycare workers)   

Childcare workers are the backbone of the childcare industry. They look after and teach children in a childcare centre, or family daycare.

They work hard to ensure all children in their care are happy, healthy and safe. They take on many responsibilities such as caring for the children, preparing snacks and meals, changing nappies and bottle-feeding. Childcare workers are required to have knowledge of and be in compliance with all policies and procedures about child services and security. Develop and facilitate activity programs for children based on their support plan. Full-time childcare/daycare workers earn around $953 per week. 2

Childcare Centre Manager   

A Childcare Centre Manager will oversee the smooth operation of the facility, ensuring that it remains in compliance with regulations and the children’s needs and interests are well looked after. They could be involved in the hiring and training of childcare workers and early childhood educators, and in overseeing their performance. In addition to contributing to planning the educational programming, and consulting with parents on their children’s progress.

Generally, Centre Manager start their careers as childcare workers and require 5-10 years of experience working within a centre or daycare.

Full-time Childcare Centre Managers on an adult wage earn around $1,272 per week. Earnings tend to be lower when starting and higher as experience grows.3

Out Of School Hours (OOSH) Assistant  

An OOSH assistant will provide care for children before and after school. They usually work in a primary school or high school. The job of the OOSH assistant is to watch over the children and provide them with activities to perform, including games and educational tasks.

Teacher’s Aide  

A teacher’s aide assists teachers in preschools, primary schools or high schools. They help prepare to copy and collating written and printed teaching materials, and supervise the children. Full-time Teacher’s Aide workers earn around $1,094 per week.

Au Pair / Nanny   

An au pair is a childcare worker who lives with a family and looks after their children. They will tend to the children’s basic needs and may also tutor them. The hours that an au pair works can vary depending on the requirements of the employer. In return for their time, the au pair receives a small salary, accommodation and food.

A nanny is employed to look after a child in their home. A nanny is similar to a babysitter but usually spends more hours with the children and is more involved in their lives. They are typically more experienced and qualified than a babysitter or au pair. They also work longer hours and receive higher remuneration.

Talented and experienced Au Pair and nannies are in high demand and can find employment anywhere in the world.

I want to specialise in childcare, where can I start? 

The global business college of Australia (GBCA), is a nationally recognised training organisation based in Melbourne, Victoria. Our college currently delivers training courses in business, IT, accounting aged care, and childcare. To learn about our courses, get in touch with our consultants for a free consultation. Or visit our website to learn more about our courses: