Teaching again: What renewed interest in teaching means for early childhood education

A sharp rise in initial teacher education enrolments at the University of Sydney is capturing national attention. The University has reported a more than 30 per cent increase in applications for undergraduate and postgraduate teaching programs in 2025 compared with the previous year, an unexpected uplift that positions teaching as a career of renewed relevance and purpose.

While the majority of enrolments are in primary and secondary education programs, the implications for the early childhood education and care (ECEC) sector are significant. Amid ongoing workforce shortages and high staff turnover, this renewed interest offers the potential to strengthen the pipeline of qualified educators.

The University’s Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences notes that this year’s enrolments reflect a particularly strong academic cohort, with ATAR scores for teaching degrees ranging from 85.1 to 89.7 and many in the high 90s.

Dean of the Faculty, Professor Barbara Caine, described the increase as “remarkable”, highlighting that teaching is once again regarded as a profession with purpose. Many applicants, she said, are driven by the desire to make a difference, an aspiration well understood in the ECEC space.

The University’s Master of Teaching program has also experienced growth, particularly among career-changers seeking meaningful, socially impactful roles. This shift aligns with broader workforce trends favouring purpose-driven professions.

While initial teacher education pathways often focus on primary and secondary teaching, the cultural shift towards education as a respected career may generate wider benefits. For ECEC services seeking qualified early childhood teachers, particularly in preschools and integrated long day care settings the increased interest presents a timely opportunity.

A growing cohort of high-achieving, values-led students could help reshape perceptions of the early childhood profession, support pedagogical depth, and strengthen professional identity across the sector.

However, the benefits of this shift will only be realised if early childhood services create environments that support long-term educator engagement. Enrolment figures, while promising, are just the first step.

To translate interest into impact, sector leaders must focus on:

• Structured induction and mentoring
• Meaningful professional development and career progression
• Workload management and wellbeing supports
• Competitive pay and employment conditions
• Ongoing recognition of the ECEC workforce as essential and highly skilled

These priorities are strongly aligned with the goals of the National Children’s Education and Care Workforce Strategy, which emphasises attraction, development and retention across the profession.

As interest in teaching grows, ECEC services, providers and policymakers have a unique opportunity to engage with emerging educators and encourage pathways into early childhood roles.

Building a sustainable, skilled workforce requires sector-wide commitment. This includes not only creating attractive roles for new entrants, but also ensuring experienced educators are supported, recognised and retained.

With the right settings in place, the current surge could signal more than a statistical change it could mark a generational shift in how teaching, and early childhood education in particular, is valued and sustained.

Source: University of Sydney, “Teaching makes a comeback as a career of choice”