Imbalances between workforce policy and employment for early childhood graduate teachers: Complexities and considerations. Issue 1 (March 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Gibson, Megan; McFadden, Amanda; Williams, Kate E; Zollo, Lyn; Winter, Abigail; Lunn, Jo
• Is Part Of: Australasian journal of early childhood. Volume 45:Issue 1(2020)
• Page Start: 82
• Page End: 94
• Publication Date: 2020-03
• Subjects: Early childhood education and care -- graduate -- survey -- employment -- child care -- kindergarten -- preschool -- primary; Early childhood education -- Periodicals; Child care services -- Periodicals; Early childhood education -- Australasia -- Periodicals; Child care services -- Australasia -- Periodicals; Child development -- Periodicals; Child care services; Child development; Early childhood education; Australasia; Periodicals; 372.21
• DOI: 10.1177/1836939119885308
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1836-9391

Abstract

Early childhood teachers have a myriad of possible employment options, with birth to eight years degree qualifications preparing graduates to work in a range of early childhood settings, including prior-to-school. At the same time, early childhood workforce policies in Australia, and elsewhere, are increasingly requiring degree-qualified teachers to be employed in prior-to-school settings. A growing number of reports and studies make a compelling case that there is a shortage of early childhood, degree-qualified teachers who are willing to work in prior-to-school settings, including centre-based child care. This conceptual article focuses on the imbalances in workforce policy and employment for early childhood teacher graduates. We examine the complexities and considerations of these imbalances, through exploration of literature and existing research, including small-scale studies and existing graduate destination data (Australian Graduate Survey). The article concludes with a proposed research agenda and suggestions to redress the imbalance of early childhood graduate teachers who are prepared, though seemingly not willing, to operationalise policy requirements for teachers to work in centre-based child care.