Zali is proud to feature in Big Roles in Little Lives campaign

Port Kembla Community Pre-school trainee Zali Hart is proud to feature in a national campaign enticing secondary school students into the early childhood education and care (ECEC) sector. 

The 20-year-old from Shellharbour features in a video for the Big Roles in Little Lives campaign run by the Early Learning and Care Council of Australia (ELACCA).

“Definitely do it. That’s what I’d tell anyone considering this career,” Miss Hart told local news source The Illawarra Mercury.

Now live across YouTube, Snapchat, TikTok, Instagram and Facebook, the Big Roles in Little Lives campaign promotes the “incredible impact early childhood professionals can have on children”.

When asked to describe what it is like to work in ECEC, Miss Heart said it’s both rewarding and enjoyable, and that those coming into the sector should be prepared to work hard, and have a challenge or two passed to them every day. 

“I love knowing that I’m helping the children reach their goals and extending their learning. It is rewarding helping the children reach their milestones and achieve their goals. Seeing them grow and flourish under my care is so important to me,” she added.

“As educators are facilitating the growth of the next generation and we work hard to allow our children to grow and achieve their goals.”

The broader campaign, Big Roles in Little Lives, aims to communicate to the general public that early childhood educators have never been more important for Australian children and families, and for the economy more broadly. 

“These are roles with purpose, satisfaction and great career prospects,” ELACCA CEO Elizabeth Death said.

“We know that young Australians, in particular, have been significantly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic,” she continued, “with youth unemployment rates more than double that of the general population.But there is a great opportunity for young people in the booming sector of early learning and care.”

To learn more about the Big Roles in Little Lives campaign, see here. To read the original coverage of this story, see here.