Paid early learning pracs in Darwin and Palmerston boost educator workforce

The federal government is strengthening its support for the Territory’s early childhood workforce by expanding the wage subsidy for paid pracs.

Thrive by Five NT launches the campaign's five-point action plan.

Relief for early learning workforce shortages is on the way thanks to paid prac and professional development opportunities for educators in Darwin and Palmerston.

It comes two months after the Thrive by Five NT Alliance launched its five-point action plan for the early childhood development sector.

The plan called on the NT government to invest $10 million into the early childhood workforce.

The federal government’s Early Childhood Education Workforce package will boost the subsidy to eight weeks per semester, up from four.

The package is available for anyone studying to be a teacher in the sector, and participants who take on pracs in rural or remote areas away from home will also be offered a living allowance to help with relocations costs.

Solomon MP Luke Gosling. Picture: Pema Tamang Pakhrin

The federal government will also launch a platform to link providers with student teachers later in the year,

Solomon MP Luke Gosling said he hoped the program’s expansion would develop and retain the existing workforce in his electorate.

“This announcement builds on our existing commitment to provide Commonwealth Prac Payments for eligible nursing, midwifery, teaching and social work students during their mandatory placements – addressing workforce shortages and easing cost of living pressures for students,” he said.

“The first five years of a child’s life are the most important and this investment by the Australian government will ensure our youngest Territorians are supported by the best and brightest.”

The program’s first year helped about 750 Early Childhood Teaching student educators with paid prac wage and more than 23,000 educators benefited from the scheme’s professional development opportunities.

Early Childhood Education Minister Dr Anne Aly said a sustainable workforce was a vital step towards “building a universal early learning and care system that works for children no matter their background”.

“We’re supporting the early learning sector in a range of ways, including through making it easier to access training and professional development opportunities and provisioning funding to contribute towards a wage increase,” Dr Aly said.

“This is about ensuring workers in feminised industries, such as early childhood education and care, can seize opportunities to progress their careers.”

Originally published as Paid early learning pracs in Darwin and Palmerston boost educator workforce