Practical, hands-on learning experiences are an essential part of your early childhood education course. We incorporate practical placement into our courses to ensure that every learner has the opportunity to apply what they’re learning and get real-life knowledge in the workplace.

The placement hours of a course allow you to gain firsthand experience as an educator, exploring and expanding what you know about early childhood education and finding your feet in the work environment with children. Read on and take these insights on board to feel well and truly prepared to get the most from your placement.

Knowing what to expect on practical placement

Heading into placement, you are likely to get the chance to take on a range of responsibilities under the mentorship of your allocated early learning service. Your role and responsibilities will be allocated by the early childhood education provider you are doing your practical placement with, but often you will be given the opportunity to work in a few different spaces around the service. This could mean working with young babies on some days and older children on other days. You might help with outdoor play, art and craft time or reading books, just to name a few areas.

You and our Practical Placement Coordinator will work together to arrange your placement workplace, and your individual circumstances will be factored in during the process.

Being prepared for practical placement

Getting prepared is really important to get off to a good start on your practical placement. Preparation can mean a lot of things, from getting your Working With Children’s Check (Vic and NSW) or blue card (QLD) sorted in advance, to knowing where to go when your first day comes along.

Practical Outcomes’ pre-placement information session is perfect to help you get the details you need before commencing. If you do have any questions, feel free to ask your Practical Placement Coordinator or your trainer. Don’t forget, your trainer will continue to support you through placement and will even visit you in your early childhood service while you’re on placement.

Preparation includes the logistics of placement too. This could include pre-planning where you need to go and how you are going to commute — planning these things carefully so you arrive on time and put your best foot forward will make you feel more at ease.

What you need to know for placement

The early childhood education service you attend for your practical work placement should provide you with information or a set of service guidelines. This may cover dress code, confidentiality policies, social media and more so that you know what is and is not acceptable. Reading through and double checking anything you’re unsure about in advance can help you to feel prepared.

Generally, most of the guidelines and policies will be fairly straightforward, but if you have any queries make note of them and ask your trainer, placement coordinator or service contact before you start so you feel confident right from the beginning. If there is a uniform to be worn the service will provide this to you, otherwise you are likely to simply need to dress comfortably and practically such as with your Practical Outcomes polo shirt and shorts or pants.

Stand out while on practical placement

Giving practical placement your best and standing out could even see your placement lead to long term employment. There are many things you can do to shine as a learner during work placement.

Asking questions is a good place to start. Not only does this help you gain more information and learn faster, it also shows that you have a keen interest in the sector and the service you are working with. While you may feel a little nervous, do your best to actively engage with children and take initiative while on the job. It goes without saying that following instructions and completing tasks in a productive manner are important too. Some important questions to ask the service can include:

• Where do I sign in and out?
• Where may I place my belongings?
• Which room will I be in?
• What are the names of the educators in the room I will be in?
• Who can sign my paperwork?

We also provide our learners with a practical placement journal to enhance the placement. This helps learners gets more from the placement experience, promoting self-reflection and enabling them to track their own progress and see their improvement throughout their course. Ensure you take your practical placement journal to placement each day and keep it up-to-date to help reach your full potential through your work placement.

Infection control and COVID Safety on placement

In light of the coronavirus pandemic, there are a few extra precautions to take and be aware of when undertaking practical placement in early childhood education. While these infection control protocols vary in different areas and are subject to change depending on the current COVID-19 situation in each location, it’s important to be up-to-date on best practice when it comes to minimising risk of infection, illness and its spread.

Early childhood education services will have a COVIDSafe plan in conjunction with their systems and procedures around illness. Some vital points to note are that if you have any symptoms of illness be sure to notify your service and trainer and stay home when you are unwell. Regular handwashing has always been a priority in centres and now more than ever. As with all things, if you’re in doubt about anything pertaining to infection control while on placement, don’t hesitate to ask.

Practical placement for an enhanced learning experience

Knowing what to expect on practical placement helps you to go in feeling ready.

Practical placement is a highly valuable component of our early childhood education courses and being prepared will maximise your experience. Learners gain vital experience and get the chance to apply the theory they have been learning in a real-life setting.

You have the full support of the Practical Outcomes team throughout your practical placement experience. We can’t wait to head in alongside you as you begin to make your mark in the rewarding early childhood education sector.

Contact our team to learn more about practical placement or our early childhood education courses.

Not to mention, when this happens you are likely to feel overwhelmed, frustrated, or both. A solid study strategy is what you need! It may sound simple, but getting back on track with your studies isn’t as challenging as it may seem. It all starts with strong study habits that suit you.

Getting the most from your training comes down to building habits that support study success. And it’s never too late to get sorted with some effective strategies to overhaul your approach to studying. With some tried and tested ideas and techniques, you can be focused and flying along in your course in no time.

Study success with strong habits

Is your study routine as effective as it could be? Do you know what support is available to you? Are you making time for doing things you love and relaxing? For study habits that work for you, they need to, well, work for you! Maximise your study outcomes and find the best strategies for you to incorporate and start to really enjoy your training journey.

Strong and effective study habits can be developed to foster a great study routine that will help you on your way to achieving your education and career goals.

Make a plan

Routines and schedules are underrated. Seeing everything that needs to be done laid out in front of you and piecing it together can help you to be more organised and stay focused on what needs to be done. Developing study habits requires consistency, and organisation and effective time management are key to fitting in everything that needs to be done without feeling overwhelmed. Thanks to flexible online study options, it’s easier than ever to make sure your study habits suit your life.

Study your way

Effective study habits need to be developed alongside your personal preferences. For example, do you prefer to study alone or are you more of a study group kind of person? Maybe you like to listen to music while you are studying? Or is a quiet space preferable? Day or night? At home or at the library? Are you most productive first thing in the morning? Or maybe you prefer to get stuck into studying in the evening? Work out what works for you and try to incorporate this into your study plan.

Get SMART with your goals

Taking a SMART approach is the smart way to go about setting your study goals. SMART stands for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Timing — all things to consider when sorting out what your goals are and how to achieve them.

S<pecific: What do you want to accomplish and what needs to be done?
M<easurable: How will you track your progress on achieving this goal?
A<chievable: Know what is required to achieve the goal and be sure that it can be done based on any potential constraints.
R<elevant: Is it worthwhile, is this the right time and what will I get from accomplishing it?
T Work toward a deadline. When do you want to complete this goal and what mini-deadlines will help create a feasible timeline to get there?

Prioritise taking care of yourself

Sleep, regular exercise and healthy eating may sound like clichés when it comes to getting the most out of life and study, but it’s true. Getting enough sleep ensures that you are better able to focus, recall information and process the learning material. Exercise and healthy eating are essential for optimal functioning, and you’ll feel better for it too.

Avoid cramming

Cramming all your study into a giant block of time to get it done can be tempting, but for most people this isn’t productive. It’s likely that you will get more from your study time by breaking it up into smaller blocks. It’s often easier to fit in this way too as smaller periods of time are easier to come by, plus it gives you time to process what you’re learning before going back for more.

Reach out for support

Make a habit of asking for help when you need it. Asking for help isn’t just okay — it’s recommended! At Practical Outcomes we have a team of people who are dedicated to your study success! Your trainer is on hand to answer your questions, direct you to resources and guide you through your course. You can get extra help with literacy and numeracy from our LLN Coordinator — perfect for those who find that these areas aren’t their strong suit, or if English is your second language. Our team is there to ensure that you have everything you need and to support you in achieving study success.

Study habits to maximise your training

The flexibility of online early childhood education courses enables you to create a plan to study that fits in with your life. With a little planning and organisation, plus effective study habits, you can achieve your training and career goals in no time. Take a look at our checklist to discover if it’s time for you to start an early childhood education course and move into a meaningful career that you will love.

The Practical Outcomes team is here to help. Contact us to chat about your training and career goals, and get started.

Don’t worry — it’s not as challenging to get back into the swing of things as you may think. With the right support and some top tips, you will be able to return to studying with ease, even after a big break.

Whether you’ve been busy starting a family and caring for your children, your high-school gap year went longer than planned or you are keen to start a fresh career or upskill, returning to study is achievable.

Feel confident with returning to study after a break with these tips

Feeling concerned about how you will get your brain back on track for studying focus is normal. And at first, you might find it a little tricky, but in a short time you will flying along. These tips will help you settle into student life faster and more easily:

Goals in mind

Keep your eyes on the prize — you know what you want to achieve and how to get there, so if you start to feel overwhelmed or stressed during the training process, just remember why you’re doing this. You should also be able to reach out to your trainer who will help you to make a plan to tackle your studies and reach those goals in a way that is manageable for your circumstances.

Get organised

Things like knowing what’s coming up, what you need to do for it, and ensuring you have the right materials ready to go are all part of being organised for returning to study. Check through your course information and add important dates and deadlines into your calendar to keep track of everything that needs to be done. A little organisation goes a long way when it comes to creating a balanced study life.

Make a solid routine

Life can be busy. Between work, leisure, family commitments and taking care of yourself, it’s not surprising that the idea of fitting in study seems a bit much. A solid plan, schedule or routine will help you to manage everything effectively and reduce any potential stress in the process. Write it down or print it out and stick it on the wall or keep a photo of it on your phone so that you can refer to it and stay on top of everything in a manageable way. Be realistic and try to allow a little leeway for when things don’t go exactly to plan. Don’t forget to leave time for yourself and leave time for yourself and plenty of rest.

Create a dedicated study area

Engaging with your course materials and focusing on your studies is often easier when you are in the right environment. For most people, it’s important to minimise distractions. Seek out an area with good natural light and make sure you have everything you need within reach: a notebook, pen, chargers and accessible power points. A comfortable chair is a must too! Your study space may change from time to time; perhaps a café sometime, a library or even on the train, and that’s fine. It’s all about finding a space that works for you and maximises your ability to focus and learn effectively.

Enrol in a course with plenty of support

The last thing you want is to enrol, receive your course materials and be left to it on your own. This is especially true if you are just returning to study after a break. A high-quality course should always provide you with adequate support from experienced, knowledgeable trainers who will guide you through every step of your training journey.

Getting back to study and kicking career goals

Finding the right course to reach your individual goals is an important part of the process. A high-quality course with equally high-quality trainers (even for online courses) is key to study success, whether you’re returning after a break or just getting started.

Practical Outcomes dedicated trainer support is invaluable for every learner. With their wealth of experience in the sector within which they train, they have the insight required to guide learners on every step of their study journey. Our trainers take your individual goals and needs into account and ensure you get tailored support for the best study experience.

Online courses provide flexibility to help you get the most out of your time, while practical placement is incorporated into our courses so that you can finish your course feeling confident and ready to shine in the workforce. We also take a human-centred approach to education, supporting learners in developing soft skills that will add to their ability to thrive in early childhood education.

We have created a checklist to help you decide whether it’s time for you to start studying early childhood education! Take a look here.

Chat to the Practical outcomes team about your early childhood education career goals and how we can support you to reach them.

Learning ways to de-stress is essential, especially if you’re trying to manage studying, work and life commitments. The flexibility to study early childhood education online can make the juggle easier, but stress can still spiral and prevent you from getting the most of your studies and your life. It’s important to understand stress and the techniques you can use to de-stress. This can contribute to better study outcomes and improve your overall wellbeing.

What is stress?

When the body detects what it perceives to be a threat or danger near you, it reacts with stress. This is a physical response that involves your central nervous system altering your hormones to stimulate the body into action. In a real-life emergency this ‘fight or flight’ response could give you the sharpened reflexes you need and could even save your life. For many people though, the symptoms of feeling stressed can become yet another thing to stress about.

Stress can be emotional, physical or both and vary in intensity. It can affect how you live on a day-to-day basis, from sleeping to socialising to eating and more. Stress could present in many ways, including:

• Aches and pains
• Digestive issues
• Feelings of sadness or depression
• Agitation
• Headaches
• An inability to focus
• Decreased energy
• Disrupted sleep

The need to de-stress

It’s no secret that this year has presented us all with many extra stressful situations. If stress has become a part of your life as a result of the pandemic or through trying to manage work, studying, parenting and more, it’s important to learn how to get your body back into balance. The stressful situations will come and go, but with a few de-stressing techniques in your toolbelt, managing challenges can get easier.

Schedules, routines and organisation

Do you often leave things to the last minute? Do you frequently find that you haven’t got enough time to get everything done? It could be time to look at your routines. Improving the way you manage your time can actually create more time for you to complete your required tasks. Consider how productively you use your time or look at shuffling things around to better suit how you work. Get serious about planning ahead, create a study area that is highly productive and explore useful tips for studying online.

Try this: Write a weekly schedule. Having a set routine that is written out will help you visualise everything that needs to be done. Start by assessing how long it takes you (honestly!) to complete certain tasks. Schedule in your breaks and “me time” as well to ensure you maintain a sense of balance to hopefully prevent future overwhelm.

Getting physical

Stress can cause a range of physical symptoms, but getting physical can actually help to counteract the incoming stress. Exercise, whether it’s sweaty cardio or relaxing yoga, helps to regulate those stress hormones and release tension, getting your body feeling more normal. There are many wellbeing strategies you can try, plus taking a break with unstructured physical activities like gardening, walking with friends or cleaning the house can help too.

Try this: Create your own de-stress circuit. You can put it in your phone or stick it on the wall. For example:

• Do ten squats
• Do ten push ups
• Do a ten second plank
• One minute of star jumps
• Repeat three times.

Focusing on your breathing

When you’re feeling stressed; conscious, deep breathing can be a powerful tool for relaxation and de-stressing. Mindfulness is an approach that can aid in reducing the feeling of stress, as well as prevent it from taking over — and it can be done anywhere! Deep breathing and mindfulness as de-stressing techniques can also be useful in the workplace, with many benefits for children in early childhood education.

Try this: Alternate Nostril Breathing Technique. Also known as Nadi Shodhan Pranayama, this breathing technique can be done anywhere and can calm the mind while helping to release tension. Follow these steps to commence this practice:

• Sit comfortably
• Bring your left hand on your left knee.
• Move your right hand up toward your face.
• Complete an exhale then close your right nostril over with your right thumb or index finger.
• Now, inhale through your left nostril. Once complete, close the left nostril and release the right nostril to exhale.
• Leaving the left nostril closed, inhale through the right nostril.
• Now, close the right nostril and open the left to exhale.
• Continue to do these cycles for a few minutes and finish with exhaling on the left side.

Regain control

Managing your mental health and wellbeing is important and can contribute to your training outcomes. Try out some of the suggestions listed above and make note of which techniques work best for you. If you’re looking for more to try, consider these additional scientifically-backed approaches.

Don’t forget, the Practical Outcomes team is here to support you. Your trainer and our Learner Success team can work with you to tackle your stress and better manage your studies in line with the rest of your commitments.

If stress is really taking over your life, don’t hesitate to contact a health professional. They will be able to support you as you get your stress under control as you reach for success.

At Practical Outcomes we are dedicated to supporting you through your studies, from start to finish. If you need any assistance, reach out to us with any question you may have.

As well as helping you to fit everything in, time management can create space for success in each area of your life. Using time more productively can reduce the rush and leave you feeling as though there really is more time to fit in your study, work and life commitments. The result? Enhanced study outcomes as well as improved career progression, relationships, and even mental health and wellbeing.

Stop feeling like you’re constantly trying to catch up with these practical tips for achieving a work/life/study balance.

Time management tips for success

Get your priorities in order

Prioritising can be tricky, especially when you’ve got a lot of competing priorities. Instead of just writing a list and ticking things off when they’re done, consider how you can prioritise your tasks. There are many approaches to prioritising. One you could try is the Eisenhower Matrix, which recommends categorising your tasks into four quadrants. 1: Urgent and Important. You should do these first. 2: Important but Less Urgent. You should schedule these. 3: Less Important but Urgent. Delegate these if possible. 4: Less Important and Less Urgent. Think about whether you really need to do these at all! If prioritising within your course is confusing or overwhelming, your trainer will be able to help you.

Learn how you work best

Morning people, night owls – everyone is different. Are you more focused in the morning, afternoon or evening? And while some of us thrive by taking on the day’s biggest challenge first thing, others prefer to save it till last. Get to know how you work best and when you are most efficient to use these times to your advantage.

Remove distractions

We’re looking at you, social media! Distractions are everywhere and they can eat away at our time before we’ve even realised. Identify what your Achilles’ heel is when it comes to focusing on getting things done and try to remove it. For many, that could mean putting your smartphone in another room while you’re studying. Maybe you keep finding yourself turning on the television instead of doing essential research. Whatever it is, save it up as a reward for when you’ve completed the day’s tasks.

Create systems and routines

Once you have started tracking how long certain tasks take you, you can begin to create better systems which will help you to get more time out of your day. These could be daily schedules, checklists for certain tasks or flowcharts to remind you of what comes next. Don’t forget to be flexible enough to change it up if it’s not working. For example, if checking emails in the morning is holding you back from getting on to more important tasks, then try setting emails aside until midday.

Make a plan

Good time management requires a bit of forward planning, so try to envision what your day will look like in advance. Allocating specific chunks of time for different tasks will help you to get a clear vision of what will fit where. Allow for travel time, lunch and breaks too.

Take a break

There’s no point sitting at your desk staring at a blank page or re-reading the same sentence over and over. Sometimes perseverance can be a time-waster! Head outside for a walk, have a cup of tea or take five with a game to clear your mind and get back to it with fresh eyes and more motivation!

Seek out support

Whether you need a bit more time, some understanding of personal circumstances, to change things around, or some guidance to get it right, the act of asking for help can stop you from wasting time on stress or plugging away aimlessly. At Practical Outcomes our trainers are there to motivate you and guide you at every stage throughout your course. Available via phone, email, online conference or even in person, they can give you handy resources and individualised support as needed. Also, our Language, Literacy and Numeracy support team will give you access to learning plans that are tailored to your needs.

Use time management tools

There are so many tools you can use to create schedules to help you with managing your time more effectively. Online options can help you track how long you are working on any given task and enable you to clearly see what needs to be done and when.

Online

• RescueTime: With this software you can track your habits, block websites that distract you, set goals and alerts to keep you on track.
• Monday: View your tasks and timelines at a glance, track time spent on each task, use automation tools to make life easier.
• Toggl: Track how long tasks take you across various devices to help you make smarter choices about how you schedule your time.

Offline

If apps and software don’t work for you, there are still other ways to manage your time. Tip: use a grey lead pencil or whiteboard marker so you can erase and rewrite as needed – no one needs scribbles everywhere when they’re trying to get organised!

• Use a whiteboard: A trusty whiteboard give you an at a glance reminder of your tasks, assigned days and times and what’s coming up. Update on a weekly or monthly basis.
• Daily to-do list: Many people still swear by a notepad with a handwritten to-do list. You can update it daily, weekly or both to keep on top of everything and carry it in your bag wherever you go.
• Desk calendar or diary: A calendar or diary can be a useful tool in your time management arsenal, enabling you to schedule your tasks in on each specific day of the week, month, year.

Getting the most out of your time

Time management strategies alongside some useful study tips can help you be more productive while undertaking a course and may include things like getting adequate exercise and sleep, eating well and learning how to study with children at home.

Making life easier while still managing to get it all done is achievable. Time management skills can be learned and with a few strategies in place, you can enjoy a study/work/life balance in no time. As a Practical Outcomes learner, if you need support to fit in your course with life’s other commitments, make sure you chat to your trainer.

If you’re interested in studying early childhood education, check out more information about our courses or contact us today!

So you’ve moved to Australia and you want to live and work in the beautiful land down under — but where to begin? No matter which stage you’re at in the process of migrating and starting a new life, finding work in Australia can feel overwhelming but you can do it!

If you’re ready to find work in Australia, let’s look at a few key points to consider for the best chance of success (and better yet, a meaningful career you can really love!).

Choosing an industry

Having a good understanding of what industries are booming and therefore have plenty of jobs available is really important. After all, the more jobs there are available in the industry you choose, the better chance you have of finding work in Australia!

Industries that are high growth include child care, aged care, agriculture and finance.

Gain qualifications

Don’t worry; you don’t need to go to university for three or more years to get qualified for a great job in Australia. There are plenty of courses with Registered Training Organisations (RTOs) that take as little as a few months and can equip you with a qualification to help you find gainful employment.

What’s more, many courses with reputable RTOs are hands-on and give you practical skills including on the job training so you gain real-world experience too. At Practical Outcomes, gaining the qualifications, knowledge and skills to work in child care is actually quite enjoyable!

For example, you can study a child care course at Practical Outcomes and in 11 months you can be qualified to work as an early childhood education professional. This can include being a nanny, working in a child care centre or even running your own day care business from home. That’s right — in less than one year!

Look for support

When you’re trying to build an amazing new life for yourself, support is incredibly valuable. We prioritise our students’ wellbeing and find that our support throughout their journey helps them to gain the success they are after.

If within a year you would like to be earning $39,324 to $57,668 (Payscale) working in child care in a meaningful, flexible and enjoyable career, child care could be perfect for you.

You can find our child care course options here, but don’t hesitate to call or email to chat with our helpful team about your career goals.

Sources:

https://www.payscale.com/research/AU/Job=Childcare_Worker/Hourly_Rate/d92604c1/Melbourne

Completing year 12 and graduating from high school is an incredible achievement. It signals the end of a stressful, busy year for young people. It’s not surprising that school leavers choosing a career to pursue after secondary school can still be up in the air even once graduation is done.

Many students finish high school and then await ATAR scores to guide them, but the real focus should be on choosing a career that you can be passionate about. A career working with children in early childhood, delivering high-quality child care is definitely one to consider.

While some students head to university after graduating, some head straight into the workforce and others enrol in Vocational Education Training (VET). A VET course could be a Certificate, Diploma or Advanced Diploma, and it can lead to a valuable career.

VET graduates earn more

A report earlier this year showed just how much career success you can find through VET courses:

• VET graduates earn a median full-time income of $56,000; $2000 higher than a Bachelor’s degree equipped graduate.
• VET graduates find jobs faster and more easily: 78 percent of VET graduates are employed soon after training, compared to only 68 percent with a Bachelor’s degree.

What to consider when choosing a career

While salary is one consideration, there are many things to think about when choosing a career. You should keep in mind:

Your interests: do you like being inside, outside, or a mixture of both? Do you prefer to sit at a desk or be up and about?

Lifestyle goals: are you committed to travelling at times? Do you want to work full time or have the option of flexibility?

Career aspirations: do you want to work for someone else forever or do you like the idea of having the option to start your own business or run your own race?

Child care careers are flexible and fun

If a career working with children sound like fun, you will also be impressed by the variety of employment options you have from completing a VET course in child care. With part time and casual options available, a child care course could be perfect for you.

Traditional 9am-5pm work has been around for a long time, but many people find that this doesn’t work with their lives and needs. Child care careers have a range of positions to suit a range of people.

For example, you might have a set or rotating roster in a day care facility, working mornings or afternoons or a mixture of both. As a nanny you could live in, work certain days only or even be invited on holidays with families! In family day care work, you could be choosing all your own hours and work as your own boss which can add even more flexibility to your lifestyle.

Keeping your options open

The beauty of a child care course through VET training is that you have so many options. You can complete a Certificate or Diploma course, get into the industry and gain insight, experience, knowledge and skills that will serve any career working with young people.

Should you choose to undertake a university degree down the track — such as Bachelor of Teaching — you can use the credit from your VET training to create your university pathway.

Choosing a career that makes you happy

Consider your goals, lifestyle and circumstances. Choosing a career should reflect the things that are most important to you, so you can become a passionate career person with a healthy work-life balance and lots of room for growth.

Explore the child care course options available to you here. You could be working in a rewarding child care career in no time.

Sources:

https://cica.org.au/wp-content/uploads/Perceptions-are-not-Reality-May-2017.pdf