At a moment when early childhood education and care faces distinct challenges and ongoing staff crises, the insights provided by the latest National Workforce Census help us to draw a detailed picture of the sector – now and over time.

The 2021 Census report

The ECEC National Workforce Census is usually conducted every three years to gain an overview of the sector over time. After delays prompted by the onset of COVID-19 and the introduction of the child care subsidy system (CCS), the results of the 2021 Census are finally in.

These results will be used to assist the Australian Government to design, develop and carry out policy changes to reflect the demands of this evolving sector.

This is the fourth census the government has conducted. It collected information from various early childhood education services on things like service usage, staff and children with special needs. Happily, more people took part in this census than in previous years, meaning that we’re getting a more detailed picture of the sector than ever before.

Understanding the sector now and into the future

A census is designed to record and analyse data from a given population. This data not only paints a useful picture of the sector in its current state, but also helps us to understand how it has changed and is predicted to evolve over time.

Results assist policy makers, analysts and sector leads to:

• Identify current trends
• Make recommendations
• Establish growth predictions
• Isolate areas where change is needed
• Design, develop and implement policy

This census has some interesting results. Building on the 2010, 2013 and 2016 reports, the findings give us a clear understanding of how ECEC has changed over time, as well as showing us how the sector has responded to new challenges brought on by the pandemic.

Key trends in early childhood education

1. A bigger workforce

With the sector facing ongoing staff shortages, it’s reassuring to hear that the workforce has grown.

The report reveals that as of 2021, the total number of educators working across the five key ECEC settings – long day care (LDC), family day care (FDC), outside school hours care (OSHC), in home care and vacation care – was 216,619. This indicates steady growth since the previous census was conducted in 2016, and a substantial increase compared to the reports from previous years.

Summary:

• ECEC workforce continues to grow
• 216, 619 current workers
• 11% rise since 2016
• 72% rise since 2013

2. Rapid growth in Long Day Care

Long day care (LDC) – which some of us know as ‘centre based care’ – is the hotspot for current growth. Since the last census LDC has seen an influx of workers, who now account for an enormous 68% of all educators in ECEC.

Summary:

• Number of workers in LDC up 34% since 2016
• 92% rise since 2013
• The number of new service centres has not grown at a similar pace – with only a 20% increase since 2016.

The last point is significant because it indicates a disparity between how quickly the LDC workforce is growing in comparison to how many new centres are opening.

Reasons for the discrepancy could include increased regulations, a shift toward larger centres and heavy casualisation of the workforce.

3. Qualifications: Diplomas on the rise

In terms of the mix of qualifications among workers in the sector, the report indicates some notable trends. The number of people who hold a Diploma has jumped to over 75,000 compared to just over 50,000 in 2016.

While it is positive to see more people choosing to do Diploma level qualifications, the results for Bachelor degrees in Early Childhood Teaching (ECT) and Certificate IIIs are slightly concerning. Since the last census, the number of people who hold a bachelor degree or above has not grown. More worrying is the fact that in the same period Certificate IIIs – which showed strong growth in previous years – have slumped.

The concern is that we need strong growth in all three qualifications to address staff shortages across the sector. If we do not see a rise in bachelor and Certificate III level qualifications, it may be likely that staffing will remain a critical issue in the following years.

We do know, at least, that in the LDC setting Certificate III qualifications are on the rise. Ideally we’ll see this growth mirrored in other settings over the coming years.

Summary:

• Diplomas up since 2016
• Bachelors flat line
• Certificate IIIs face slight decline

4. Under 30s dominate

It may come as no surprise that ECEC is still a young workforce, with people under 30 continuing to form a majority. As the workforce increases we’re seeing more and more young people joining the sector, with participation at its lowest among those in their late 40s and early 50s. After that there’s another uptick, with increased numbers of workers over the age of 55 now joining the sector.

Summary:

• 39% educators are below the age of 30
• 36% are above the age of 40
• These statistics have remained relatively stable across the last 3 census reports

5. Women still constitute a majority of the workforce

ECEC remains a female dominated workforce, forming a striking of 92.1% of workers sector-wide. In centre based care this statistic is even higher, where women account for almost 96% of all workers.

6. Other highlights

Other noteworthy findings include:

• First Nations workers now account for 2.9% of the workforce, up from 1.8% in 2013.
• 5% of educators with ECEC qualifications had over 10 years’ experience in the sector
• 25% of educators with a Certificate III were studying for a Diploma
• Upskilling is down slightly, with 76% of workers not currently studying for a new qualification

Steady growth for promising outcomes in the sector

The information we’ve canvassed indicates a few key points to consider. Firstly, we’re seeing steady growth in the workforce and this is certain to alleviate some of the pressure of staff shortages. In coming years it will be important to see Certificate III and Bachelor qualifications catching up to Diplomas, and part of this will be encouraging individuals to get started on a career in early childhood education or progress to further study for those who are already employed.

Registered Training Organisations like Practical Outcomes have a key role to play in ensuring we continue to provide the high quality education which underpins a strong workforce.

Join the growing early childhood education workforce

Early childhood education and care is strengthened by the thousands of passionate and committed people who make up its workforce, and the results of this recent census indicate that it’s only set to increase.

With high demand for jobs, now is the time to enhance your employment prospects in ECEC. Whether your interest lies in upskilling, progressing your career or joining a growing community of like-minded individuals, Practical Outcomes specialises in all things early childhood education.

Get in touch!

We’re working with providers to address skills shortages and find the right employees for your service. One facet of our approach we haven’t highlighted yet is access to our cohort of skilled learners.

Find the best employees for your early childhood education service

Practical Outcomes specialises in training and education for the early childhood education sector. Our learners graduate from Practical Outcomes with the practical skills and experience required to become great educators.

It’s not just their practical skills which distinguish them either: Practical Outcomes graduates are known for their passion, enthusiasm and adaptability.

There are many reasons why Practical Outcomes learners make great employees — here are just a few:

• Our courses are updated regularly to reflect the demands of the sector
• Our learners receive training and support from experienced trainers
• Practical placement and workplace training enables learners to apply their skills as they develop
• We prioritise transferable skills which give learners the ability to adapt to the demands of the workplace
• Our learners want to make a difference
• Our learners are ready for work

Organisations choose Practical Outcomes to deliver quality training to their staff so that they can deliver a high standard of education and care to children in turn. Partnering with Practical Outcomes means being connected to our successful learners, skilled graduates and beneficial programs.

Access our work-ready learners

Industry forecasts in early childhood education estimate that over 6,000 new workers are needed to meet ongoing staffing demands. Education and training is the backbone of the sector, and there has never been a more important time to consider how partnering with a Registered Training Organisation (RTO) can help address staff shortages.

Partnering with Practical Outcomes’ Workforce Solutions gives organisations access to our cohort of work-ready learners. We offer one-on-one workforce strategy sessions with our experts at Practical Outcomes, where we’ll develop a detailed recruitment plan for your business. But first, let’s have a look at a few ways you can take advantage of our work-ready learners.

Address short-term staffing issues by taking on placement learners

Taking on placement learners is a great way for centres to gain a few extra pairs of hands. Our early childhood education courses are updated regularly to reflect the needs of the sector, so you can be sure that placement learners will be joining your workplace equipped with current knowledge and appropriate skills.

Consider new entrants to the sector

When considering newly qualified educators as candidates for employment it’s natural to weigh up the benefits. It can be easy to dismiss hiring new entrants on the basis that they will require more support than experienced staff.

It may be true that new entrants need encouragement, but this doesn’t have to be a burden. In fact, it can be an opportunity to tailor your team to suit the needs of the business. We’ll work with you to support the ongoing training of new entrants by distance and to provide upskilling opportunities for staff.

Get connected with employment service providers

In light of the current skills shortage we’re putting new energy into our partnerships with Employment Service Providers (ESPs). For us, working with ESPs is a way to strengthen the support network available to businesses.

Through our work with ESPs we advocate for early childhood education as a sector, ensuring that personnel and resources are directed where they’re needed most. We can connect you to ESPs to help find suitable employees.

Building a unique recruitment strategy

We’re here to help build recruitment strategies that work for individual organisations and businesses. That means sitting down together and tailoring a specific approach. When it comes to supporting new educators, we’ll direct you to take advantage of the many resources and programs we provide.

Some of these have been covered in other articles, but let’s quickly refresh your memory:

• We offer short courses and group training to maximise workforce capability
• Our dedicated placement and traineeship coordinators can work with centre management to streamline the administrative component of taking on our learners
• We provide advice and administrative support which allows you to take advantage of wage subsidies and government funding
• We can work with you to recruit suitable employees via employment service providers

We put our learners at the heart of what we do

There’s one thing at the heart of every one of our recruitment strategies, and that’s our learners. We begin with a passion for education and through our learners’ practical skills, dedication and enthusiasm for the work they do, that passion ripples out through the sectors we support.

If you would like to meet our learners, contact our team to find out how we can work together to develop workforce solutions.

We know the sector is currently experiencing a serious skills shortage. To improve the situation, we need dedicated and capable educators entering early childhood education who can contribute to the sector and ease the burden felt by many early learning centres.

There’s a hidden pipeline of skilled workers out there – you just need to know where to look. It’s now more important than ever to foster collaborative relationships between sector partners and business leaders in early childhood education and care.

Skilled workers to thrive in early childhood education

Around 6,000 new educators is the estimated figure needed to combat the stress on the early childhood sector.

That seems like a huge figure, but what if we told you that in the past year at Practical Outcomes the number of learners we have seen complete certified courses in early childhood and education and care was in the thousands? The workforce is there – it’s just about making the connection between graduation and employment.

Sometimes this is easier said than done. New entrants to the sector can be apprehensive, which can lead to missed opportunities. Likewise, centre directors and managerial teams may be reluctant to hire newly qualified educators.

When considering taking on newly qualified educators it’s natural to weigh up the pros and cons, and one of the things centre management has to think about is the administrative load. With the current strain on early learning centres many directors and leaders just don’t have the time to deal with the paperwork and training. You can look at it two ways. Rather than seeing it as a reason not to employ newly qualified educators, why not see it as a reason to seek extra support?

To help address the workforce shortage, early learning centres can work with RTOs and sector partners to find recruitment solutions. There are three practical ways to do so, which we’ve outlined below.

Three pathways to access talent

1. Partner with RTOs and accept placement learners

Our early childhood education and care courses are updated regularly to reflect the needs of the sector. Practical placement is an integral part of getting qualified, giving learners the opportunity to implement the skills they’re developing in a real workplace. Taking on placement learners is a good opportunity for centre directors to gain a few pairs of extra hands, supervise their training, and develop relationships with potential future employees.

 2. Take advantage of wage subsidies

One positive aspect arising from the pandemic is new funding opportunities in early childhood education and care. There is plenty of government funding out there if you know where to look, and our Practical Outcomes team can assist centre management in finding the right funding to support recruitment initiatives. This might come in the form of wage subsidies or employment support for trainees.

Available funding includes:

• JobTrainer funding – designed to support existing care workers to access training and to assist new educators to kick start their career
• Boosting Apprenticeship Commencement fund (BAC) – offsets the cost of traineeships by 50% over a 12-month period
• Jobs Victoria Fund – wage subsidies of up to $20,000 are available to offset the cost of employing someone for 12 months

3. Take on trainees

Early childhood education and care relies on highly trained, engaged and passionate educators who are invested in the wellbeing and development of the children in their care. One way to shape a passionate workforce and tackle the skills shortage is through traineeships.

Traineeships are beneficial for everyone. They provide learners with invaluable on-the-job experience and the ability to earn while they learn. The benefits extend to employers: taking on trainees means being able to oversee their learning and shape new educators according to the needs of your centre.

How we support sector growth

Early childhood education and care is an essential sector and its importance and value is becoming increasingly recognised by the wider community. At Practical Outcomes our goal is to support the sector in committed and practical ways, which is why we partner with early learning centres to develop recruitment strategies and support.

Some of the key areas in which we can assist both learners and centres are:

For learners:

• Flexible learning options including online delivery
• Dedicated Learner Support team
• Practical placement support, including visits from your placement supervisor
• Experienced trainers who know the ins and outs of the industry

For centres:

• Assisting with the traineeship process, including liaising between centre directors and Australian Apprenticeship Support Network (AASN) providers to remove the administrative burden
• Assisting centre directors with information to determine eligibility for wage subsidies and funding
• Regular visits to check in with trainees, learners on placement and centre staff in order to streamline their training
• Provide training to new entrants and upskilling opportunities for current staff
• Provide subsidised training opportunities through JobTrainer and Skills First government schemes

An opportunity to work together

Rather than seeing the skills shortage as a crisis, we might think of it as an opportunity to work together. Fostering meaningful relationships between RTOs, sector partners and centre management means creating a safety net and a strong support network the sector can rely on. Similarly, if you’re a learner or new educator in the sector, know that there are many ways your training organisation can connect you with meaningful work.

To find out more about how we can support you to find employment solutions, contact the team at Practical Outcomes today.