The program starts in mid-January 2019 and will be presented by Child Care Services Training and is offered by Renewal SA’s Works Program in association with Child Care Services Australia and the Department of Industry and Skills’ WorkReady initiative.
The classroom training will be held at Woodville West Torrens Football Club and participants get work experience at a range of centres in the western suburbs.
The same program was also held in the western suburbs in the first half of 2018 and 10 of the 12 graduates got work within months of completion, while all 14 graduates of the program held in 2017 were employed.
Program participants receive a Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care and a qualification in providing an emergency response in an education and child care setting.
One of the 2018 graduates is Renae den Engelse, 32, of West Beach, who works five days a week at the Lockleys Child Care and Early Learning Centre.
Renae (pictured above) started working at the centre three months before completing her program and was able to plan her shifts around study requirements.
She undertook the course because she had been working in retail and was seeking a change of career.
“I always thought I would like to work in childcare and then I heard about this program,” she said.
“My lecturers and the workplaces were really supportive and I like that study weeks are scheduled within the program when you can get help from the teaching staff if you need it.
“It’s a really good opportunity to change your career in a short space of time.”
Renae has been able to build on her own experience as a parent of two young children in her new career. She is now studying the Diploma of Early Childhood Education and Care and has been given status for the some of the units she completed within the Certificate III.
Child Care Services Training Executive Director Lisa Tregenza said most participants got work with a childcare centre as a result and were often able to find work in a centre close to home.
“If people who do this course show initiative and are punctual and diligent, there is a very good chance that they will get work,” she said.
Ms Tregenza said a number of new childcare centres were being built around Adelaide and many were looking for staff.
“The weekly combination of theory and work experience in this pre-employment gives program participants a chance to quickly develop their skills and work out whether they have what it takes to work with children.
“You can test what you learn in class straight away in a childcare centre.”
Ms Tregenza said people who had been out of the workforce for some time to look after family should think about childcare as a career.
“They are able to multi-skill and they can use their life experience of looking after their own children. The people that do this program gain in confidence every day.”
Ms Tregenza said the program offered 'scaffolding' to people who might need support to study and to use computers.
She also encouraged people with skills in community languages to apply as these skills were highly valued at centres with a high proportion of children and parents from non-English speaking backgrounds.
Renewal SA Acting Chief Executive Mark Devine said Renewal SA was proud to again offer the child care pre-employment program to people in the western suburbs and surrounding areas.
“The program is ideal for people looking for work or a change of career,” he said. “It is developed and offered in close partnership with a child care provider and equips participants to work in this growing field by providing them with comprehensive training and work experience.
“We offer our Works Program courses in western Adelaide to ensure that local communities and individuals benefit from our urban renewal activities, such as our master planned housing development, The Square at Woodville West.
Those interested need to register before 23 November 2018 to attend an information session. The course starts on 16 January 2019 and concludes on 27 June 2019.
There is a $200 co-contribution fee for the course, or $180 for those eligible for a concession.
