Saul Gaylard wants to see more men take on ECEC as a career

Freya Lucas

Aug 17, 2023

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For Bachelor of Teaching (ECE) student Saul Gaylard, early childhood education and care (ECEC) is a career like no other, and one he would like to see more men pursue.

Mr Gaylard, who is currently studying at New Zealand Tertiary College (NZTC), came to ECEC after working in management. “It was completely by chance,” he explained, outlining how he came to be in the sector.

“My background is in management, and I was between work, when during COVID-19, I was asked to help in what is now my home centre, and I never left.”

“In the time between then and starting to study, I worked in the centre as an Educational Support Worker for a boy with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and as a non-qualified teacher.”

The flexibility offered by NZTC was a drawcard for Mr Gaylard, who also applied for a scholarship to support his learning.

“I have five children, so being able to study around their schedules is extremely important,” he said. “Having just started my first Field Practice placement, I’ve found the support and communication from lecturers has been fantastic. I had a phone call on the first day, with a follow-up email that afternoon, and in the week since, we communicated via email whenever I had a query.”

He encouraged other males on the fence about entering the early childhood field to step up with confidence.

“For other males thinking of pursuing a career in early childhood – do it! While there may be some stigmatism around male teachers in ECEC, the tamariki (children) love the interactions and different perspectives a male kaiako (teacher/educator) can offer.”

Learn more about NZTC here.

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