Nowra TAFE ECEC graduates are in a class of their own

Recent graduates from this year’s Certificate III in early childhood education and care at TAFE NSW Nowra have all secured employment offers in the Shoalhaven region, with only one student, who will be taking parental leave, not immediately commencing work after graduation.

A spokesperson for TAFE NSW said the result reflected the growing demand for quality educators with robust qualifications to meet the workforce needs of the early childhood education and care (ECEC) sector.

One of the students successful in moving straight into work is 20 year old Courtney Bishop, from North Nowra. Ms Bishop has been offered full-time employment at Jumping Jellybeans in Berry.

Previously employed on a casual basis in the aged care sector, Ms Bishop was prompted to change to working in the early years by a need for stable hours and a full-time role. Once she commenced her studies, she found a great deal of reward in working directly with children and their families.

A highlight of the course, Ms Bishop said, was the weekly play session, which sees parents and children attend the TAFE campus to engage with a variety of play-based learning activities developed and overseen by the TAFE students and their mentors.

“Access to that level of practical, hands-on training gave me and the other students a chance to gain confidence in working with children before we went out into the sector for work placement,” she said, adding that she now felt “much more confident” about working with children.

Jumping Jellybeans has encouraged Ms Bishop to enrol in a Diploma of Early Childhood Education and Care, and she already has her sights set on further education, saying “after my Diploma, I think I’ll do my Bachelor Degree through TAFE NSW”.