The South Australian Skills Commission, in collaboration with group training organisation Group Training Employment (GTE), has announced the Early Educators Workforce Attraction Pilot Program aimed at attracting more trainees into the early childhood education sector in Mount Gambier and the Limestone Coast more broadly.
The Pilot Program provides financial incentives to host employers who engage trainees through GTE. Under the scheme, host employers receive $5,200 per trainee, paid in two instalments: the first at the start of the training contract and the second after six months of successful participation.
In response to workforce shortages in the early childhood sector highlighted at a forum held recently in Mount Gambier, the Early Educators Workforce Attraction Pilot Program will employ up to 15 early childhood education trainees who will be hosted out to local employers.
It comes as the Malinauskas Labor Government gets set to roll out three-year-old preschool across the state from next year. We know that early childhood is a critical time – 90 per cent of a child’s brain development has happened by the time a child is five years old – with an extra year of preschool designed to support all children across South Australia.
"Early childhood educators play a vital role in our community, and we know the sector is under significant pressure, particularly in regional areas. This Pilot Program is a practical and timely step toward strengthening the workforce in the State’s Southeast. By reducing barriers for employers and creating flexible training opportunities, we’re helping to attract more people into this essential sector." said Minister for Education, Training and Skills, Hon Blair Boyer MP.
Importantly, the Pilot Program will be open to trainees of all ages and aims to provide greater flexibility for both trainees and host employers, including the opportunity for trainees to gain experience across multiple early learning environments in the region.
"This Pilot Program is a smart, flexible solution to help grow the early childhood education workforce in the Limestone Coast. By supporting employers and trainees through the proven GTO model, we’re creating more pathways into the sector, particularly for those looking to start or change careers later in life. It’s a great example of how local insights; industry collaboration and government support can work together to address regional skills challenges in a meaningful way." said South Australian Skills Commissioner Cameron Baker.