How To Become A Childcare Worker (Early Childhood Educator)
Working with children is a rewarding and fulfilling calling — but it’s not always easy to get started along the childcare path. If you love helping kids (and their families) and think that being a childcare worker (Early Childhood Educator) is right for you, keep reading to learn more about how to become a childcare worker in Australia.
What It Means To Be A Childcare Worker (Early Childhood Educator)?
A child’s first few years are critical ones. During early childhood, children are discovering the world around them, developing their motor and sensory skills, acquiring critical social skills, and learning more about themselves and who they are. All this development gives young children the tools they need to succeed later in life.
Much of this learning takes place in the home and with families, but when other duties take caregivers away from their children, qualified childcare workers are there to help nurture those little ones. And while the work is difficult, being a childcare worker is an essential service that can quickly become a satisfying lifelong career.
Let’s take a look at what exactly a childcare worker is, what they do, and what childcare worker job requirements you need to learn and be aware of before starting work.
What Is A Childcare Worker?
Childcare workers provide a variety of care services for infants, toddlers and young children, often while these little ones’ parents are fulfilling obligations outside of the home. Childcare workers do things such as:
Meet the child’s basic needs
Provide entertainment opportunities
Help the child practise their social skills
Facilitate exploration
Assist a child through daily routines
Plan and implement educational outings
Provide support and protection
And more!
Childcare worker positions are ideal for those who love working with children to ensure that every little one has the help they need to grow and develop properly. In addition to the strict childcare job requirements discussed below, childcare workers also share certain skills and personality features such as:
Dependability
Flexibility
Patience
Good verbal communication
Social intelligence
Empathy
Being trustworthy
And more!
Remember that as a childcare worker, you’re not just going to have just adults relying on you — you’re going to have children looking up to you as well! Above all else, childcare workers do their best to ensure that every little one is getting the proper care, education and love.
Childcare Worker Job Opportunities
If that sounds like the right job for you, you may be wondering how to get a job in childcare and what positions are open to you. Childcare workers can work in a variety of places, including:
Childcare centres
Primary schools
Hospitals
Private homes
Afterschool care centres
Family daycares
Nurseries
With additional education and experience, you can even opt for a managerial or educational position.
An important consideration to keep in mind is that the average salary of a childcare worker falls between $50,000 and $80,000 depending on experience, education and position.
What Do You Need To Be A Childcare Worker? Must-Have Skills And Education
Getting the basic training to become a childcare worker is relatively simple and quick, making it more easily accessible than many other career paths. If you are ready to begin your career as a childcare worker, you will need these four things.
You will need to have your Working with Children Check and Police Check. These often need to be obtained before beginning your educational courses.
You must have or be actively working towards a Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care qualification. During the qualification you will complete at least 160 hours of work placement. This is a great opportunity to create new working relationships, network and learn from your peers.
Any related first-aid training that is relevant to your job. This may include CPR training, Anaphylaxis training, Asthma Awareness training or others as deemed necessary by your employer. Keep in mind that, while these may not be required for all jobs, many employers are more likely to hire employees who have these certifications.
In addition to these childcare job requirements, you should also have a variety of soft skills, including:
Verbal and written communication
Planning and time management
Critical thinking and problem solving
Monitoring and tracking
Active listening
Childcare Worker Qualifications: Beyond The Basics
Of course, if you’re dedicated to becoming the best childcare worker you can be, there are plenty of additional qualifications and extra training options available that will allow you to develop as an employee, enhance your knowledge and carry your career further. One of the defining features of a successful childcare worker is the willingness to continue to learn. Keeping up on your education can help refresh information and ensure that you’re using the best tools and systems to care for your wards.
After you get your Certificate III, you can always add more training courses down the line. Extra courses are usually available either through on-the-job traineeships or through certified providers. For example, if you’d like to become a manager or coordinator, you’ll need a Diploma of Early Childhood Education and Care qualification.
Open Up New Doors With First Base Training
The right training is necessary to help you provide ideal care and support for children, build positive relationships and provide the right support to families from diverse backgrounds and systems so that you can ensure the best outcome for all the children and families that you’re working with.
If you’re ready to enter the world of childcare, First Base Training can help. We are an accredited Registered Training Organisation (RTO) that has been approved to provide subsidised training by the NSW Government. In particular, we offer Certificate III courses and a Diploma qualification to help enhance your learning so that you can grow as a care provider.
Reach out today to learn more about our early childhood education and care training or to view a comprehensive list of our courses. We’re always happy to help if you have questions or would like to learn more about what to expect from our training courses.