Working in the early childhood sector can be deeply rewarding, as you get to have a direct positive impact in the foundational years of many children’s lives. If you’re considering a career in early childhood, there are plenty of exciting opportunities available in this growing sector.
This article will explore the top career pathways available in early childhood, from becoming an Early Childhood Educator to exploring further opportunities available for experienced workers.
Education and Care
Early Childhood Educator
As an Early Childhood Educator, you’d have the opportunity to work with children in preschools, kindergarten programs or childcare centres.
Getting a diploma in early childhood education is often a prerequisite for this career path, as it will teach you the skills and knowledge required to create a structured learning environment for children’s early cognitive, emotional and social development.
Alternatively, a Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care or a Diploma of School Age Education and Care can open the doors to this role.
Early Childhood Teacher
If you’re interested in teaching young children in primary schools, kindergartens, early education facilities or special education settings, becoming an Early Childhood Teacher could be the right path for you.
This role generally requires at least four years of tertiary study, including at least a year of teacher education study. You could go straight into an undergraduate qualification like a Bachelor of Early Childhood Education, or you could complete a ‘pathways’ course if you’ve already obtained an approved diploma in early childhood education.
Educational Leader
As an Educational Leader (or Early Childhood Teaching Director), you’d promote positive educational philosophies by providing training, support and mentorship to educators and administrators of early education services.
While this role still has a strong influence on children’s developmental outcomes, it would involve more interaction with adults in the sector compared to the other pathways discussed here.
Qualifications for this role can include a Diploma or Bachelor of Early Childhood Education, a Diploma of School Age Education and Care, or a Bachelor of Education.
Family Day Care
While this role is similar to an Early Childhood Educator in its responsibilities, the setting is slightly different. Family day care centres operate out of the Family Day Care Educator’s own home, offering early childhood education and care services to small groups of no more than four children at a time.
To become a Family Day Care Educator, you’ll need a minimum of a Certificate III in Early Childhood Education, as well as periodic training to maintain your skills and knowledge.
You’ll also need to register with an approved family day care service, be covered by public liability insurance, and ensure your home meets national standards for providing early education and care.
Management careers in early childhood education
Once you’ve gained at least a few years of experience in early childhood, you can start looking at progressing into more senior roles.
If you’re looking to take on a leadership management and support role in early childhood, you might want to consider adding some form of postgraduate qualification to your career plan.
A Master’s degree, PhD or Graduate Diploma in relevant areas of study can increase your employability for these roles while also adding to your salary potential.
Childcare Centre Manager
You could become a Childcare Centre Manager (or Early Years Manager), which involves planning and implementing educational programs, supervising teams of childcare workers and educators, managing the centre’s finances, ensuring compliance with regulatory standards, and being the main point of contact for parents and caregivers.
Children’s Services Manager
Children’s Services Manager work in a variety of early childhood services to direct and supervise early childhood educators, create and coordinate programs to enhance children’s development and liaise with parents or caregivers, while also maintaining records and ensuring that centres are safe and comply with government standards.
A speech pathologist helps a child to enunciate their words.
Health
Maternal and Child Health Nurse
Maternal and child health (MCH) nurses provide essential support for children’s welfare while assisting mothers and managing health issues as they develop early on. They deliver useful parenting assistance which helps families manage the developmental stages of early childhood.
MCH nurses must be registered with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) and hold Division 1 nursing and midwifery qualifications. A Postgraduate Diploma in Community Child Health is also required.
Gaining at least one year of midwifery experience before specialising in maternal and child health is highly recommended. Traditional midwives pursued a three-year nursing degree before undertaking postgraduate midwifery studies for registration qualification. New training options now exist that feature three-year midwifery degrees and programs that combine nursing and midwifery studies.
Aspiring MCH nurses can select different educational pathways such as Bachelor of Nursing programs or combined Nursing and Midwifery degrees alongside postgraduate nursing studies to align with their specific areas of interest.
Speech Pathologist
Speech pathologists support people with diverse conditions that interfere with their effective communication. Some patients experience communication frustration because of stuttering or delayed speech while others suffer from neurological disorders such as cerebral palsy which affects their verbal and nonverbal communication skills.
These experts also assist children experiencing difficulties with eating and swallowing. Kids need to eat, chew and drink to survive. Specialised therapeutic methods enable children to build the necessary muscle strength and coordination for effective swallowing.
Parents and caregivers require information to help their child progress beyond therapy sessions. Speech pathologists help families manage communication and feeding difficulties through advice and support resources with empathy and reassurance.
Speech pathologists require either a Bachelor of Health Science degree or a Bachelor/Master of Speech Pathology. You can access these programs by completing Certificate III and IV qualifications in Allied Health Assistance where Certificate IV credits might even count toward degree requirements.
Being a nanny can be a very rewarding job in the early childhood sector.
Further Opportunities
Nanny
If you like the idea of providing more personalised care for children and families, you could consider becoming a nanny.
Nannies often work within the family home, providing supervision and care to children and focusing on the specific needs of each child they work with. They can also be responsible for household chores and basic first aid.
Occasionally, nannies may join the family on trips or vacations to assist with childcare outside of the home too.
Formal qualifications in early childhood aren’t always necessary, although some families choose to seek out a nanny who has early childhood training or who is working towards a degree in education.
Building a Rewarding Future in the Early Childhood Sector
In summary, there are a variety of career pathways in the early childhood sector that could suit you, from being a nanny to a Childcare Centre Manager.
Many of the roles require an early childhood qualification, such as a Diploma of Early Childhood Education, Diploma of School Age Education and Care, Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care or tertiary studies in education.
No matter which path you choose, a career in early childhood promises to be highly rewarding.
