The Atlantis Group and Edith Cowan University tackle early educator shortage with fast‑tracked, fee‑free degrees

A Perth childcare provider, The Atlantis Group, has partnered with Edith Cowan University (ECU) to offer fast-tracked, fee-free Bachelor degrees for early childhood educators, an initiative designed to address Australia’s estimated shortage of around 1,500 early childhood teachers. 

Rhianna Mitchell’s article in The West Australian shines a spotlight on this “crippling skills shortage,” quoting Rachelle Tucker, CEO of Australian Childcare Alliance WA:

“The difficulty in attracting and retaining qualified educators is one of the greatest pressures impacting service capacity and quality,” she said.

This pressure has flow-on effects, with higher costs and reduced access to quality education.

Starting Semester 2, 2025, up to four Diploma-qualified educators from Atlantis Group and Tall Tree Early Learning will receive full scholarships worth $14,000 each, annually.

The program enables them to complete a Bachelor of Education (Early Childhood Studies) in a shortened timeframe, up to 12 months faster while maintaining paid employment.

ECU’s Dr Julie Boston, Director, Partnerships and Engagement from the School of Education emphasised the impact, saying the fast-track model “would have a positive ripple effect for educators and children.”

As noted in the West Australian article, Elaine Whelan, Head of People & Culture at The Atlantis Group, explained:

“Financial and work commitments made it difficult for many educators to access higher education. This partnership removes those barriers and empowers our team to advance their careers and make a deeper impact on the lives of children and families.”

This partnership builds on an existing placement program and introduces flexible study support including leave days, mentorship, and academic incentives to help educators balance work and study effectively.

Professor Caroline Mansfield, Executive Dean of Education at ECU, said the initiative demonstrates a shared commitment to the future of the profession:

“We are thrilled to partner with The Atlantis Group to offer full-fee paid scholarships for pre-service teachers, with a focus on early childhood education.”

Rory Hindle, Managing Director of The Atlantis Group, described the collaboration as a deliberate and future-focused investment:

“This is more than a scholarship, it’s a long-term, strategic partnership investing directly in our team and in the futures of the children we care for.”

This initiative will:

• Enhances workforce capacity in WA, tackling the workforce gap head-on.
• Offers a pragmatic and sustainable pathway for Diploma-qualified educators already working in early learning.
• Signals a shift toward collaborative, systemic solutions, bringing together vocational, and sector stakeholders.

Four educators will begin their fast-tracked Bachelor degrees from Semester 2, 2025. For services or practitioners interested, Atlantis encourages dialogue with ECU’s School of Education to discuss expanding the model.

Read the full article here and the media statement here.