Paid prac helping to upskill the early childhood education and care workforce

The Albanese Government is strengthening the early childhood education sector by upskilling workers through paid prac and professional development.

Minister for Early Childhood Education Dr Anne Aly today announced an expansion of the Early Childhood Education Workforce package, helping to build and retain the existing highly skilled early learning workforce.

Under the package, a paid prac wage subsidy is now available to assist educators undertaking a Diploma of Early Childhood Education or relevant post-graduate Early Childhood Teaching qualifications, in addition to those completing an Early Childhood Teaching qualification. The paid prac wage subsidy has been doubled to up to eight weeks per semester.

The package also enables positions to be backfilled while early childhood educators, teachers and centre directors undertake professional development opportunities.

Educators in both metropolitan and rural, regional and remote Australia are now eligible for the expanded Early Childhood Education Workforce package.

In the first year of the program, the Government helped approximately 750 Early Childhood Teaching student educators through the paid prac wage subsidy and more than 23,000 educators benefited from professional development opportunities.

Later this year, the Government will launch a dedicated website that will help providers participate in prac exchanges with different services – this will help services manage their workforce needs and educators find prac places. Educators who undertake prac in a rural or remote location away from home are able to access a living allowance to assist with relocation costs.  

Shaped by engagement with the sector, the workforce package is another way the Albanese Government is recognising the professionalism of early childhood educators.

A sustainable and high-quality early childhood education and care workforce is a vital step towards building a universal early learning and care system that works for children and families.

In this year’s Budget, the Government provisioned funding to contribute towards a wage increase for the early learning workforce, a critical step in properly recognising the importance of this highly feminised sector. Work is underway to deliver on this important commitment.

For more information regarding the expanded Early Childhood Education Workforce package visit education.gov.au/early-childhood/early-childhood-workforce/professional-development-opportunities.

Quotes attributable to Minister for Early Childhood Education Dr Anne Aly:

“We’re supporting the early learning sector in a range of ways, including through making it easier to access training and professional development opportunities and provisioning funding to contribute towards a wage increase.

“A sustainable early childhood education and care workforce is a vital step towards building a universal early learning and care system that works for children no matter their background.

“This is about ensuring workers in feminised industries, such as early childhood education and care, can seize opportunities to progress their careers.”

Quotes attributable to Member for Perth Patrick Gorman:

“Early childhood workers help build Australia’s future. That is why our government backs them in building their skills and expertise

“My local community values accessible, high quality early childhood education. This national program delivers for Perth and for Australia. 

“My mum was an early childhood teacher. As a parent I know the difference this next generation of educators will make to Australia.

“Strengthening the early childhood education sector is key to the Albanese Government’s plan for Australians to earn more and keep more of what they earn.”