Program to create more early childhood workers

A NEW partnership between The Gordon TAFE and the state government will give more training opportunities to the coming early childhood education and care workforce in Geelong and elsewhere.

The state government’s $2.9 million investment will recruit and train 140 workers in Geelong and Wyndham through The Gordon TAFE in collaboration with industry stakeholders.

The Building Careers Through Smart Skilling project will deliver training, an industry “try-before-you-buy” program, mentorships and other wraparound supports, which will provide local jobseekers with pathways into TAFE courses and meaningful career opportunities while also addressing skills demands.

As well as early childhood and care, the Building Careers Through Smart Skilling project will provide opportunities to Victorians looking to enter aged care, disability, hospitality, tourism, food and accommodation services.

“Our intensive learning program focuses on upskilling and cross-skilling the existing workforce while encouraging new workers from our refugee, CALD (Culturally and Linguistically Diverse) and Indigenous populations, women and youth to reskill,” The Gordon Building Careers Through Smart Skilling project manager Megan Hortle said.

Minister for Training and Skills Gayle Tierney and Geelong MP Christine Couzens visited Happy Hippo Kindergarten and Childcare in Lovely Banks on Thursday last week to make the announcement.

“TAFE isn’t just the engine room of the early childhood sector but industries right across the state – it provides great opportunities to jobseekers and is setting Victoria up with the skilled workers we need now and into the future,” Ms Tierney said.

The new training project supports the state government’s $9 billion commitment to early childhood education and care, which includes initiatives to make kinder free, deliver a new year of universal Pre-Prep for 4-year-olds and establish 50 government operated childcare centres.

Victorian TAFE and the state government’s free TAFE initiative are already providing more skilled workers, with enrolments in early childhood education and care courses more than doubling since they were added to the list, meeting demand from the state government’s free three-year old kinder initiative.

Labor says it has made a record $3.5 billion investment to rebuild TAFE and support universities and higher education since 2014.