Childcare is a booming industry in Australia. As parents return to work, they not only want their kids to be safe and socialise with others; there is also increasing demand for thoughtful and fun environments that develop little minds. As a result, the demand for highly skilled early childhood educators is growing. It’s not uncommon for unborn children to be on a waiting list for a place in a popular centre. Although facilities and locations play a role, it is undoubtedly the quality of the staff that parents seek out. Therefore, if you’re looking at completing a childcare course in Geelong or Melbourne, there are a wide range of employment options that will be open to you. Read below for insights into the world of childcare.
Au Pair Anyone?
An ultimate career goal for a jetsetter-inclined individual, the live-in au pair has a lot of job perks. Some people hire help only when they travel so they can have an extra set of hands during transit and time off for kid-free dinners. Furthermore, if you’re travelling with a family, chances are they will be doing it in a relative amount of luxury – so enjoy! Be sure to negotiate time off so you can see the sights and relax. Many people hire on a word-of-mouth basis, so you may find once you travel with one family; other offers will roll in!
Childcare Centres
Typically referred to as early learning centres, to work in a childcare facility in Australia, you need to be working towards a formal qualification. This is good news for people starting out in the industry as you don’t need to complete your course before you commence work. In fact, many of the assessments are easier if you’re already working and have experience (and actual children) to base your assignments on.
Family Day Care
Once you’re qualified, you might opt to set up your very own childcare business by establishing a family day care. Typically run out of your own home, you can care for several children including your own – basically meaning you will be paid to look after your own kids! Jokes aside, family day care is popular with people who want their children to attend an environment with more individualised attention or perhaps they work longer or odd hours. Family day care is known to be flexible, cater to special needs and is good for siblings as they won’t be separated into age-based rooms like centre-based daycare.
Nanny
Private nannies are hired in all sorts of scenarios; you may work exclusively for one family or for several across different days. You might work business hours, or help out at either end of the day for breakfast or dinner. In fact, you may even want to be a night nanny; this can be particularly lucrative if you have a knack for settling infants. As a private nanny, you generally have the flexibility to set your own hours and you may work privately or via an agency.
