Hawra has always loved kids, so the idea of working in early childhood education made perfect sense.
The 25-year-old was exploring job opportunities in the sector when she came across the traineeship model.
At first, she wasn’t quite sure how it worked but soon found out that the traineeship would enable her to get paid while she completed her studies in early childhood education.
She jumped at the opportunity.
“I've always been interested in early childhood. I wanted to work with children in general, but I love working with younger children,” she says.
“I was researching jobs in early childhood and I came across the traineeship. I was very interested in working as well as studying.”
Hawra embarked on her Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care traineeship through Chisholm.
The program matched Hawra with a traineeship at Kids on Meridian, a centre in Melbourne’s south-east.
Hawra’s manager at the centre, Corrie, says it’s been a joy to see her grow in confidence in the role.
“Hawra has settled in amazingly; she's really, really flourished,” says Corrie.
“She's actually been promoted within the first year of the traineeship.”
Corrie says the early childhood education sector is experiencing plenty of growth at the moment – so demand for trainees is particularly high.
“The sector has changed in that we have much higher demand within early childhood education, lots of different centres are popping up, and there are a lot more children to be cared for.”
Designed to meet this demand, the Victorian early childhood traineeship program is a win-win: it helps centres find more quality candidates, and helps trainees gain an entry-point into the industry.
It’s a perfect time to consider joining the sector as trainee – here’s how the program works.
What is the Early Childhood Educators Traineeship Program?
Like Hawra, if you become a trainee, you’ll be completing your TAFE course and working in a centre as a trainee – getting paid a wage as you do so.
You can complete either your Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care and/or your Diploma of Early Childhood Education and Care through the program.
This helps you gain an understanding of education and care theory – and put it into practice on the job straight away.
Corrie says she can notice a big difference in trainees that come through the program.
“The thing that I like most about the quality of educators who come through Chisholm is they have a much better understanding of the industry,” she says.
“Within the trainees, you can see a massive change in terms of their self-confidence, but also their knowledge.
“They're much more invested and they show a deep passion for early childhood education.”
Corrie says many trainees in the program get promoted to room leaders, because they are well-trained and enthusiastic about their work.
How does a traineeship work?
As well as allowing you to earn while you learn, the traineeship model provides several other benefits.
You’ll have access to:
- regular workshops to enhance your knowledge of the sector
- study support and monthly check-ins from project coordinators and mentors
- job application assistance, including resume and interview preparation.
Hawra says she appreciated the chance to learn on the job and put the skills she was learning in the classroom into practice.
She also enjoyed the balance of on-campus and online learning.
“Every fortnight I would go into the Frankston campus at Chisholm to take a class – and then everything else is modules online,” she says.
“It was great having it online and then if I didn't understand I’d go on campus and ask the question.
“I loved all of my teachers; they were very helpful.”
Hawra says she felt really supported throughout the program.
“I had a lot of support through my traineeship. I had Anthea, who was my teacher, we had a coordinator, Kellie, and also Melissa who was my trainee teacher, she was supervising me through the whole process; also Corrie would jump in and always help me.”
How do I register my interest in the program?
As Hawra and other trainees have discovered, a career in early childhood education can be exciting, ambitious and fulfilling. Your role gives you the chance to shape lives for the better.
Hawra says she’d recommend the traineeship program to anyone who is interested in joining the industry as an educator.
Register your interest in the program, and fill out your details. Our friendly coordinators at Chisholm will get back to you soon.
