ACU and Big Fat Smile collaboration sees educators access accelerated ECT degree

The Australian Catholic University (ACU) has partnered with Big Fat Smile to offer an accelerated Bachelor of Early Childhood Education (birth to five years) degree , believed to be the first such move involving a New South Wales based provider. This story recently appeared on the Big Fat Smile blog. Access the original story here.

The course, which was developed by academics with extensive early childhood sector experience, enables educators a pathway to become an early childhood teacher in 18 months, supported by a blend of contemporary pedagogies and virtual reality immersive technology. 

Big Fat Smile will be supporting its educators and team members to participate in the course by extending financial support and also study leave, with a number already having enrolled and now engaged with the new program. 

Mary, an educator at Bulli Community Preschool who has worked at Big Fat Smile for nine years, said current director Kelly was instrumental in encouraging her to commit to further studies and that the financial support provided by ACU and Big Fat Smile was critical for her enrollment. 

“My biggest goal in my career is to make a children’s worlds a better, brighter place. Having this degree behind me, along with my experience and my prior studies in Social Sciences will give me the tools necessary in order to make a real change in the lives of little ones and their families,” she said.

“This degree, and the financial support attached to it, really is a wonderful opportunity that I am extremely grateful for.”

James, an Inclusion professional in Big Fat Smile’s Inclusion Agency, has also committed to the ACU course with the Big Fat Smile and ACU scholarship. 

“I have wanted to enrol in an Early Childhood degree for a number of years now. With a young family, I have never been able to commit to the necessary time to do this,” James said. 

“I also haven’t wanted to use all my annual leave for placements. Big Fat Smile offered a scholarship for this degree, and the fact that it is a compressed course, 18-months start to finish, I thought this was a great opportunity for me.’

Learn more about the ACU’s accelerated degree here and Big Fat Smile here. 

This story originates from the Big Fat Smile blog. Access the original story here.