The childcare industry is going really well in Australia, so much so that it has witnessed an average industry growth of 7.1% from 2014-2019. Childcare is currently very high in demand, owing to a range of factors. Facts state that “approximately 1.3 million children aged 12 and under are expected to attend some form of government-approved or government funded childcare service in 2019-2020.”
Why this degree of advancement, you ask? There are a lot of reasons.
1. Government Expenditure
It is undeniable that childcare services are known to be quite pricey. Parents think twice before leaving their kid at a facility for even a day. This doesn’t exactly make them accessible or affordable, which is why the Federal Government assists parents who want to put their children in childcare centres and continue to work. It invests an average of about $7 million on childcare every year by providing subsidies and packages to help make these services affordable to parents, which has led to more children being admitted to these centres.
2. Employment patterns of parents
Families in Australia are also mostly dual income, and as a result of increase in household revenue, more and more parents are finding childcare affordable and worth investing in. Also, owing to the rising living costs in the country, both parents choose to be employed leading to a further surge in the demand for childcare.
3. Long-term Benefits of Early Childhood Education
A child goes through a lot of cognitive and social development in the first five years. With early childhood education, he is encouraged to socialise, learn appropriate behaviour and a whole lot of other things through play-based learning. The demand for childcare therefore continues to rise as a response to increased awareness among parents with respect to these countless benefits associated.
What does this mean for job seekers?
One of the most imminent consequences of this growth is the creation of more jobs in the industry. So if you are looking to work as a childhood educator, good news: the odds are in your favour. As more mums and dads are looking for childcare centres, the demand for educators is increasing. According to Job Outlook, the number of job openings in the next 5 years will be an estimated 184,000.
With such a favourable trend, you can be sure that these centres aren’t going anywhere. The number of kids in these are only going to increase. This will guarantee you a certain level of job security.
All you need to do is complete formal training (by means of Certificate and Diploma course), followed by a work placement and you’ll likely to land a great job soon after.
Why work in childcare?
If you keep up with our blogs, you know we already say it a lot: Working in Early Childhood Education and Care is a an extremely rewarding experience. It is a job like no other, where one gets to play a role in the individual development of not one, but many children. Think about it, rather than working a 9-5 job where you sit at a desk all day, you’ll get to play around with kids, have fun AND get paid for it.
There is a high level of job satisfaction associated, and you can choose from among a variety of job roles- Teacher’s aide, Childcare Assistant, a Nanny, and many more!
Its already established that there is no shortage of jobs in the industry, so the possibilities are never-ending!
Where do I start?
The first step is to study and gain a qualification to become more employable and stand out to employers. There are loads of childcare courses offered by institutions all over Australia. The most popular ones include
These courses usually last for about 12-16 months and you get to do a formal work placement soon after to get appropriate experience.
Study with the best
Our experts at Kal Training can give you the knowledge and skills required to provide magnificent care and training as an Early Childhood Educator for individual or groups of children. We have a wide range of courses for you to choose from and can help you every step of the way to make sure you reach your highest potential. We also have government funding available* along with flexible classes so you can fit them around your schedule.
Made your mind to start working in childcare? This is where you decide upon a course to study to give it a head start! Reach out to us at 1800-244-438 to start working towards your dream job.