SA Education Minister Blair Boyer announces scholarships for early childhood teachers

There will soon be scholarships worth up to $25,000 on offer to help tackle a looming worker shortage. Find out who’s eligible.

Scholarships of up to $25,000 will be offered to entice people to become early childhood teachers in a government bid to tackle a looming workforce shortage.

Almost $97m has been committed to a new Early Childhood Workforce Strategy which will also offer aspiring childcare workers support with resume writing and interview skills, and make changes to encourage more Aboriginal workers into the sector.

The scholarships will be open to school leavers, people looking to change careers and students already enrolled in an early years teaching degree.

Those worth up to $25,000 will be focused on university qualifications while others worth $7000 will apply to diplomas in early childhood education and care.

Premier Peter Malinauskas visited Gowrie Preschool, in Thebarton, to announce funding to deliver universal three-year-old preschool. Picture: Tom Huntley

The state government has pledged to extend at least 15 hours of preschool a week to every South Australian three year old, in a staged rollout from 2026.

A royal commission delivered late last year found the state will need 660 more early childhood teachers and 1000 other staff to meet the increased demand.

Education Minister Blair Boyer said the preschool expansion was “the biggest reform to early

childhood education our state has ever seen” and a skilled workforce would be “critical to its success”.

“We need to start the important work of growing our high-quality early childhood workforce straight away,” he said.

Education Minister Blair Boyer and Newland MP Olivia Savvas at Fairview Park Kindergarten with Aria, Eli, Ayla and Charlotte. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Naomi Jellicoe

The new Early Childhood Workforce Strategy will also feature:

TARGETED recruitment of people to take up supported Certificate III and diploma level traineeships.

A NEW university degree focused on education of children from birth to age five.

AN Aboriginal workforce strategywith quarantined funding to recruit Indigenous workers to the sector.

WORK with Skills SA to ensure there are enough trainers and assessors for the growth in teaching students.

MENTORING, coaching and professional development for diploma-qualified educators studying specific degrees while they continue working.

CREATING “taste tester” short courses to encourage a diverse range of people to consider early childhood work.

SUPPORT for students including resumé and interview preparation, workshops to improve practical understanding of the sector, study support and monthly check-ins.

This would be targeted at under-represented groups in the current workforce, including people with disability, from culturally and linguistically diverse communities, living in regional and remote areas or who are the first in their family to undertake tertiary study.

Office for Early Childhood Development chief executive Kim Little said to expand preschool to all three year olds the state would “need more people from all parts of our community to join the early childhood workforce”.

“And we need to sustain this growth over time by supporting and valuing our skilled early childhood workforce,” she said.

“If you’re considering upskilling or pursuing a career in early childhood, there has never been a better time.”

Blackwood Community Child Care Centre early childhood educator Will Schulze said the scholarships would give workers already in the sector an opportunity to upskill.

“We can pursue professional development to advance our careers, while continuing to support children in the most critical stage of their learning,” he said.