People studying to become early childhood teachers are to have their careers fast-tracked under a new program from the Department of Education and Training and Deakin University.
Minister for Early Childhood, Ingrid Stitt said the program would see 90 Victorian early childhood educators upskill and train through a quality, tailored and accelerated Initial Teacher Education university program.
“Educators will be able to complete their Bachelor of Early Childhood Education at Deakin University while continuing to work, removing barriers in upskilling for Victorians who may not have been able to take time off work to study,” Ms Stitt said.
“This intensive program will help early childhood educators, who already have a diploma qualification and are working in the sector, to become qualified teachers by undertaking the usual three-year degree as a trimester degree over 18 months,” she said.
“This opportunity will tap into the skills and experience of educators already working in early childhood education and care services and enable them to progress in a career that they love.”
Mr Stitt said the first graduates from the program would be ready to work as qualified early childhood teachers from 2022.
The Minister said the teachers would be qualified to lead kindergarten programs as universal funded Three-Year-Old Kindergarten was rolled-out State-wide.
“This will help kinders employ teachers in both hard-to-staff rural and regional locations and in areas where demand for teachers is expected to grow the most,” she said.
Ms Stitt said financial support packages were also available for early childhood educators, valued at $30,000 to cover course fees and materials, as well as help with living expenses while they studied.
