Evidence builds that ECEC workforce shortages are passing as educator job postings fall to near 3 year low

The number of monthly online early childhood education and care (ECEC) educator job postings across Australia has fallen below 4,000 for the first time since February 2022 according to new data released by Jobs and Skills Australia. 

Published as part of the Internet Vacancy Index, a monthly count of online job advertisements, the series confirmed that there were 3,982 educator focused job ads posted in December 2024, around 17 per cent lower than last year and 7 per cent lower than two years ago.

Notably, these low levels are being recorded ahead of the two seasonally weakest periods of the year, namely January and February, which bodes well for future falls to be recorded in the coming months. 

On a state by state basis, two of the three largest states, New South Wales and Victoria, are in clear downtrends that have seen postings fall consistently since mid 2023, and Queensland, which saw an unexpected spike higher in postings in October of this year, has now reversed lower. 

Similar patterns can also be seen across the smaller states from an educator perspective but also can be seen across both large and small states in the other two ECEC categories covered by the IVI, centre managers and early childhood teachers, which fell 20 per cent and 32 per cent respectively compared to last year. 

Although it is difficult to say with precision why ECEC job ads have been falling so consistently over recent years, it is safe to say that a combination of more sophisticated workforce management practices at approved providers, improvements in educator wages via the new retention grant, sustained cost of living pressures and the early signs of a slowdown in demand for ECEC services all have a part to play in what is ultimately a welcome development for the sector.