Wanted: 11,000 childcare workers!

A new campaign to recruit up to 11,000 people into the childcare profession is underway. The campaign – ‘Shape their worlds. Shape your career.’ – aims to encourage more school leavers into the profession to deliver the expansion of funded early learning and childcare to 1,140 hours a year, or 30 hours per week, by 2020.

The increase in nursery education and childcare is expected to save families more than £4,500 a year per child, and is a central part of the Scottish Government’s commitment to make Scotland the best place to grow up.

Visiting Towerview Nursery to meet childcare practitioners and senior pupils considering a career in the profession yesterday, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said: “Our expansion of funded nursery education and childcare will be truly transformational and we need a strong workforce to achieve this.

“Working in this profession is hugely rewarding as it makes a real difference to children’s lives, developing their skills and preparing them for school.

“As part of our efforts to increase the availability of nursery education and childcare we also want to improve the quality of education and care with more professional development opportunities.

“We want more people to consider a career in nursery education and childcare and this campaign will highlight the range of jobs and opportunities available.”

Rachel Allan a nursery practitioner at Heriothill Nursery, Edinburgh, who features in the campaign said: “Early learning and childcare makes a big difference to the lives of little ones. Being creative is a big part of the job. All the different aspects of play and learning helps them from a young age with their physical and mental development. It also really helps to prepare them for school.

“Getting to see the children develop and grow, and helping them understand different things, is really rewarding.

“To someone considering a job in early learning and childcare, I’d say if they love spending time with children, they should go for it, whether it’s through college, an apprenticeship, or learning on the job as I have done.”

Find out more about a career in early learning and childcare.