Lisa Sinclair celebrates a quarter of a century dedicated to ECEC

Affinity Education Group Educational Leader Lisa Sinclair is celebrating a significant milestone in her early childhood education and care (ECEC) career this year, having spent 25 years educating and caring for children. 

 

Currently she is the Educational Leader and Assistant Centre Manager at Milestones Early Learning Edgewater, continuing a career she started at just 14 years of age after moving to Perth from New Zealand to care for her grandfather. 

 

“It was hard to transfer to high school so I thought I’d get a job and applied at a childcare centre called Little Muppets,” she recalled. 

 

“I knew within days it was the right job for me.” 

 

In 2013 Little Muppets (then known as The Learning Tree Edgewater) was acquired by Affinity Education Group, something Ms Sinclair said “reignited her passion for early education.”

 

“Affinity’s team told me I had potential, so they funded my training to complete a Cert 4 in Business Management and flew me to Melbourne to meet with other Centre Managers,” she said.  

 

“My career has gone from trainee to Centre Manager and now back to Educational Leader and Assistant Centre Manager – this current role is definitely my favourite so far.” 

 

Purple Lisa

 

Her signature purple hair has been a feature of the centre team’s “Seriously Fun” culture since 2009, when she started experimenting with her favourite colour. 

 

“The children call me ‘Purple Lisa – even in the months when there’s not much purple in my hair,” she said. 

 

Special visit

 

Her ‘workiversary’ was a cause for celebration, with CEO Tim Hickey and CFO Cathy Montesin (pictured, with Lisa in centre) visiting the centre to share their congratulations.  

 

“I’m so glad I’ve remained here at the service for so many years – the sense of community I have experienced is priceless to me, and it is a truly fulfilling and rewarding career I would recommend to anyone,” she said.