Are you the kind of person who stays in touch with their inner child? Do you feel right at home sitting at the kids’ table during a big family gathering? Do you secretly love when your mates call you the parent of the group?

Turns out you can take all of those amazing things about yourself and apply them to a career that can make a big difference to young people’s lives.

What we’re talking about is a career in early childhood education.

But hang on - what is early childhood education?

Early childhood teachers and educators work with young children before they start primary school, using quality, play-based learning to give them the best start possible.

Early childhood teachers lead the planning and delivery of programs to help children’s learning and develop their sense of identity, wellbeing and sense of place in the community and communication skills.

An early childhood educator works with early childhood teachers to support the emotional, social, physical and educational development of infants and young children.

It’s a well-kept secret, but so many of those important skills you need as a young person happen right there between when they’re born to when they’re four. In fact, did you know that 90% of a child’s brain develops by the age of 5?

Skills such as emotional maturity, communication and physical wellbeing can have a huge part to play in a child’s potential for success at school - or even in their careers. 

That’s why the Victorian Government is offering Free Kinder for three and four-year-old children across the state. This means Victorian kids can access two years of a funded kindergarten (sometimes called pre-school) program before they start primary school. But to do that, they’ll need a team of talented, motivated and passionate Early Childhood teachers and educators to lead the way. 

Plus, the Victorian Government is investing in a range of initiatives, programs and financial support to help people get started in the sector, which means there’s never been a better time to check out a career in early childhood education.

If you’re feeling curious about whether you’d be a great fit for the sector, or what values, skills and qualifications you’ll need to get started, make sure you read on!