Secondary students eager to work in the early childhood sector are to be given a chance to start their career early with the Department of Education and Training (DET) adding a new pathway to its apprenticeship and traineeship program.
Announced by Minister for Education, James Merlino, the Department has partnered with Think Childcare under its Head Start program.
“At least one Head Start school-based trainee will be placed in each of Think Childcare’s 49 centres across Victoria ─ providing a supported pathway for almost 50 students to gain experience and training in the growing early childhood education sector, while also helping meet workforce needs in local areas,” Mr Merlino said
“Trainees will receive a high-quality education from early learning training specialist Selmar Institute of Education ─ helping them gain a Certification III Early Childhood Education and Care qualification,” he said.
“In the first year, they will spend one to two days per week in paid employment, increasing to three to four days in their final year.”
The Minister said DET’s Head Start initiative was a model for apprenticeships and traineeships for school students that supported them to complete their VCE or VCAL alongside paid on-the-job training, “so they can achieve both a vocational and school-based education”.
Mr Merlino said the initiative was expected to deliver up to 1,700 apprenticeships and traineeships by the end of the financial year.
