Work begins on 92 place ELC to support childcare needs in Kalgoorlie-Boulder

Work has commenced on a 92-place early learning centre (ELC) in the West Australian Kalgoorlie-Boulder region, with the service, once constructed, to be operated by Y WA.

Construction of the Porter Street centre will be managed by OTB Developments with Y’s WA chief executive, Ross Kyrwood telling local publication The West Australian that the provider is aware that staffing the service is likely to prove challenging, given the remoteness of the town, which is located 595 km (370 mi) east-northeast of Perth, at the end of the Great Eastern Highway. 

That said, Mr Kyrwood said Y WA is “looking forward to taking on that challenge.”

Demand for early childhood education and care (ECEC) services in the town is high, he added, saying the provider “looks forward to partnering with the community to achieve a win for them in terms of vacancy.” 

The centre has been designed to fit architecturally with surrounding buildings, and will offer a homely environment with a focus on nature and encouraging curiosity. 

A nationwide recruitment strategy aiming to staff the service will begin by August, with expressions of interest for enrolments to be taken from the end of July. Pending approvals, the goal is to open the service by mid-November.

Shae Welch, Y WA general manager of children’s services, Shae Welch, told The West Australian that while training local job seekers for educator positions would “always be preferred”, a national recruitment strategy had proved successful in other regional towns where the Y was established.

Enrolments into the service will be staggered to allow children and educators to settle into the space, with an initial small group of children being educated and cared for by 12 educators, before a full complement of both educators and children come on board over a three month period. 

To view the original coverage of this story, as written for The West Australian, please see here.