The Allan Labor Government is now hiring talented early childhood professionals who will play a crucial role delivering high-quality early learning and care at Victoria's first state-run childcare centres.
Minister for Children Lizzie Blandthorn today announced that recruitment is under way for around 100 centre-based roles, including early childhood teachers, room leaders, educators and cooks.
The 419 children that will enrol in these centres will be the first to benefit from the 50 new childcare centres delivered through a nation-leading investment by the Labor Government. Enrolments for 2025 opened last month for the Eaglehawk North, Fawkner, Sunshine and Murtoa centres.
Staff will join Early Learning Victoria as public sector employees with competitive wages and conditions. They will also have access to coaching and mentoring, career-development opportunities and upskilling.
Fees will be lower than the average for each area. This support and other subsidies mean families on low incomes will typically pay only a small fee each day. All Government-owned centres will also include Free Kinder.
Each childcare centre will also offer long day care, including high-quality kindergarten programs for three- and four-year-olds - with a sessional kindergarten option also available in Murtoa.
To give children and families the best start, each centre has space for additional supports such as maternal and child health and playgroups - providing better connected, more integrated early childhood services.
Through our nation-leading $14 billion reforms, the Labor Government is transforming early childhood education - helping young Victorians be their best and saving their families time and money.
As part of these reforms, the Labor Government will establish 50 centres across Victoria by 2032, providing affordable childcare and Free Kinder to communities where early childhood education and care is needed most.
Last week, the Labor Government launched the 2024-25 Innovation Grants Program - with grants from $5,000 to $50,000 available to early childhood services who are innovating to retain early career teachers and educators.
The Labor Government is investing $370 million for early childhood teacher and educator training programs, scholarships, career supports and professional development programs. Victorians interested in early childhood education also benefit from Free TAFE, which includes a Certificate III and Diploma in childhood education and care.
To apply for roles or find out more about these opportunities, visit careers.vic.gov.au or SEEK.com.au. To apply for enrolment or find out more about Early Learning Victoria, visit vic.gov.au/early-learning-victoria.
As stated by Minister for Children Lizzie Blandthorn
"Creating jobs for locals in Sunshine, Eaglehawk North, Fawkner and Murtoa is icing on the cake for families in these communities, where we're opening government-run childcare centres for the first time."
"We're looking for highly skilled and qualified early childhood professionals to help deliver quality early childhood education and care in communities where these programs are needed most."
