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In the current ECEC climate, recruiters need to stand out – so how does anzuk do it differently?
Freya Lucas
Nov 08, 2022
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It’s no secret that the early childhood education and care (ECEC) sector is in a state of flux.
On the positive side, politicians, both in word and policy, are beginning to demonstrate an understanding of how nuanced, valuable and complex the sector is.With record vacancies in many sectors, demand for ECEC is higher than ever as employees look to transition into and around the workforce, which means care for children is a priority for many families. Generous subsidies for educators, particularly in states like Victoria and New South Wales are providing opportunities to upskill, and many states are introducing three year old kindergarten programs to open up access to early learning.
However, with all this growth and demand comes pressure on the sector itself. Even without the challenges of a post pandemic landscape, drivers such as market saturation, wage disparities, and changes to the vocational education sector have meant that finding (and keeping) quality educators is more difficult than ever before.
In such a volatile space, having a quality recruitment partner, both as a job seeker and an employer, is vital. Recruiters in the ECEC space are plentiful, leaving employers and candidates wondering about where best to invest their time, energy and financial resources.
We caught up with some of the candidates and clients at anzuk to learn more about what candidates want, what services need, and how anzuk does it differently.
What do candidates want?
As prospective employees engaging with a recruiter, candidates are typically looking for a position which suits their individual needs, matches their pedagogy and professional beliefs, and which supports them to feel happy and fulfilled in their role - something many recruiters claim to offer, but not all can deliver.
By working with a recruiter, candidates reduce time spent in interviewing for roles which may not align with their vision and values, and maximise the opportunities for finding a position which meets their expectations in terms of pay and benefits.
Global agencies, like anzuk, can open up opportunities for candidates to see the world, and find positions interstate and overseas which meet their unique needs.
“It’s not a matter of one size fits all” Lisa Clarke, National Manager - Early Childhood and OSHC explained. “We look at everyone who comes to us, either seeking a position, or seeking an educator, as an individual with unique needs, and find them an opportunity which is going to see them, or their business thrive.”
For some candidates, working with a recruiter isn’t just about getting a job - it’s about setting themselves up for success in a new career.
“I was quite anxious, and very nervous at the beginning of my recruitment journey,” Stephen, a newly qualified early childhood teacher explained.
“Craig and the team treated me with respect and their fantastic attitudes made me feel very welcome. From then, I knew this is the agency that I was going to work for. They explained the expectations and requirements very patiently and they never gave up on me.”
“Every time I spoke with them I could feel their enthusiasm from their words and voices, which empowered me to do my best. All the centres anzuk work with are amazing. I’ve enjoyed every opportunity, working across different centres, and gaining such great experience.”
A chance for personal and professional growth
As well as providing access to temporary, contract or permanent roles, high quality recruiters offer a rounded experience, supporting candidates to develop as professionals.
When it came time for Daisy to make the move from the Gold Coast to Sydney, finding a new job was one of the many things on the to do list.
“anzuk made the process a lot smoother,” she explained.
“They were helpful, efficient and very eager to get the best for me. The team followed up with things during the time I worked with the company and after I started full time work they made visits to make sure everything was still going well and I was happy. “
For Rachel, an educator from Geelong, she came to a point in her life that required her to find a job that allowed some flexibility. Rather than visiting a variety of local services, responding to advertisements, and tying up time in interviews, she presented herself to the team at the anzuk office, and asked for support in finding roles which fit her change of circumstance.
“The communication from Jessica is always respectful and genuinely friendly,” she said. “The words: expertise, professionalism, transparency and friendliness characterise my experience with anzuk.”
Helping employers stand out, save time and streamline shortlisting
From an employer perspective, there are few things more precious than time. ECEC services of all types and sizes need professional staff who are able to show initiative, perform reliably, and demonstrate exceeding practices - something anzuk cultivates in all its candidates.
For Jessie, who manages a 52 place service in Sydney’s popular beachside suburb of Bondi, finding a recruitment partner with the capacity to liaise with her direct manager in the Council whilst going through a tendering process was a must.
“anzuk followed it through and has become our most preferred recruitment agency – especially for day to day backfilling casual positions,” she explained.
“Their casual staff have been the most reliable and dedicated workers for our centre and now I have complete trust with them even if they are new to the centre,” Jessie continued. The quality of anzuk educators has been SUPERB.”
For Nought to Five ELC, who joined anzuk midway through 2018, being able to create bookings online for casual staff has been one of the biggest assets to their recruitment partnership.
“I was most impressed to have done that on a Sunday during our children's Christmas party and received notification on a SUNDAY before the function finished,” Director Michelle explained.
“I like that we can see who is coming, it is most helpful that we can provide feedback on the educators that visit our centre and most importantly see who we have had in the past. With our previous recruitment agency, I was expected to remember the names of educators that we found were a really good fit for our centre. I'd also struggle when one of my staff would say, ‘remember the person we had two weeks ago?’.....The system makes my job as Director so much easier and less stressful.” “The educators they have provided to us since we started have ALL been so professional. They introduce themselves at the front door, are very communicative, follow direction and are engaged with the children. The ease with which we book our casuals now and the calibre of educators that are sent to our centre makes us very happy.”
anzuk operates a global business model which offers candidates opportunities to work all around the globe, and allows services to access talented and passionate educators from near and far.
Specialising in casual replacement and permanent roles in early childhood settings, including early childhood teachers, Certificate III qualified educators, Diploma qualified educators, cooks and management staff, anzuk looks for enthusiastic, confident educators who strive to always create exceptional experiences every day.
To learn more about how anzuk can support you to find your dream position, or fill vacancies in your service contact Lisa Clarke- National Manager - Early Childhood and OSHC via email: lisa.c@anzuk.education
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