Y Careers is offering a fresh way for ECEC employers to make a difference 

Y Careers, a not-for-profit social enterprise, is offering a fresh new way to assist early childhood education and care (ECEC) employers – including in the OSHC space – in making a real impact in the sector. 

With workforce shortages affecting services across Australia, Y Careers—supported by the Australian Government and parent company The Y—is uniquely positioned to help ECEC providers streamline recruitment and training while building a skilled, passionate, and reliable workforce with young people.

By pursuing a partnership with Y Careers, ECEC employers can access benefits that go beyond what is traditionally available through more standard recruitment avenues, including the fact that they recruit, employ and manage the trainee on behalf of the business, and are the legal employer. 

“Essentially, we take care of the heavy lifting of payroll, compliance and coaching so that your team is able to focus on aspects such as supporting the trainee to build relationships with children and families, develop best practice ways of working with children, and to create a strong foundation for a lifetime of learning,” Amaresh Devanesen, Executive Director of Y Careers said. 

The young people that Y Careers works with are enthusiastic about the opportunity to work in the ECEC sector and are well supported by the organisation not only in the required elements of their study, such as completing assessments and having mandated clearances, but also in their holistic development through career coaching and mentoring support. 

Through working with Y Careers, young people have access to a free qualification, great pay, and individualised wrap-around support throughout their traineeship. 

“We’re here to ‘Work Different,” Amaresh said.  

“It really is the best of both worlds for employers. They get a highly motivated young person who is wanting to engage in meaningful work, while at the same time having the opportunity to develop a skilled, loyal employee who aligns with their organisation’s culture and values.”  

Why Hire a Trainee? The Key Benefits

According to Amaresh, bringing young people into your workforce offers significant advantages:

• Future-Proof Your Workforce – Build a pipeline of skilled and engaged young people who will develop and grow into your future leaders 
• Fresh Perspectives & Innovation – Young employees bring new ideas, creativity, and adaptability to your team.
• Skills Aligned to Your Needs – Trainees are matched to your workplace based on their aspirations and your business requirements.
• Improved Staff Retention – Investing in young people fosters loyalty and long-term commitment.
• Ongoing Support & Development – Dedicated Career Coaches provide mentorship, ensuring trainees grow and succeed.
• Reduced Hiring & Training Burden – Y Careers manages the recruitment process, paperwork, and training, making it easy to integrate trainees into your team.

By investing in traineeships, you’re not just hiring—you’re developing a future-ready workforce. Young people are the future of work, and traineeships offer the ideal pathway to support and grow the next generation of ECEC professionals.

To explore the option of strengthening your ECEC team through working with Y Careers to source trainees for early childhood and outside school hours care (OSHC), visit the Y Careers website here or reach out to Michael Oosterwyk, National Partnerships Manager at  
0407 948 229 or [email protected] 

Lead image shows (left to right) – Tegan Bate, Y Careers Coach and Sabrina Gill-Frisenda, Recruitment Partner