ELAA funding from Vic Government for Skilling an Adaptable ECEC Workforce project

The Early Learning Association Australia (ELAA) has been allocated Victorian Government funding over two years for the delivery of the Skilling an Adaptable Early Childhood Education and Care Workforce (SAEW) project.

 

ELAA will work in partnership with Gowrie Victoria and The Y Ballarat to develop a series of specialised micro-credentials to ensure new early childhood educators can apply their skills and training in a way that meets both the needs of children and the workforce requirements of the early childhood education and care (ECEC) sector. 

 

As part of the initial project implementation phase, ELAA will work with Gowrie Victoria to undertake a Training Needs Analysis to ensure the micro-credentials are being developed in the areas most needed by ECEC employers and Certificate III qualified early childhood educators.

 

Once the results of the Training Needs Analysis are available three long microcredentials (taking between four and six hours to complete) and up to ten short microcredentials (taking one hour to complete) will be selected for development and published on a self-paced, interactive web-based Learning Management System. 

 

In addition, a Community of Practice will be established in early 2024 to support new early childhood educators to complete the micro-credentials, develop peer networks and access best practice tools, templates and other training resource materials.

 

In the coming weeks, ELAA will be distributing a survey across the ECEC sector to help inform the range of microcredential topics to be developed and to scope the other services offered through the project. The survey will be designed for completion by both early childhood employers and employees.

 

For more information on the SAEW project please contact Greg Box, the SAEW project manager, via email at [email protected] or phone: (03) 9411 9115.

 

Coaching and mentoring for educators and teachers also coming

 

ELAA is also working with Mott Macdonald and the Department of Education to support the design and delivery of a new coaching and mentoring program for experienced ECEC educators and teachers. 

 

A design summit was held earlier this month, offering ELAA representatives and other attendees an opportunity to reflect on latest evidence around coaching and mentoring, including the change in the nature of mentorship from conveying of expertise in a hierarchical structure to a collaborative approach where both mentors and mentees seek to learn and develop.  

 

During the summit participants reflected on why skilled staff become mentors, the tremendous impact they can have on building the confidence and skill of newer recruits, and what types of training will support mentors to perform their role and connect with other leaders. 

 

Learn more about the experienced educator and teacher program here.