Naremburn childcare worker Jake Beesley calls for more men in the industry
A north shore childcare worker is calling for more men to follow him into the industry as new figures show men make up less than one per cent of the early education workforce.
North Shore
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A north shore childcare worker has been honoured for his contributions to the early education sector – and is encouraging more men to follow him into the industry.
Jake Beesley was named the recipient of the 2019 NSW Male Education Excellence Award in recognition of his work at the Naremburn Early Childhood Centre on Sydney’s north shore.
Drawn to a career in which he could “get paid and play with Lego”, the 29-year-old has worked at the centre since it opened in 2017.
Two and a half years on, the Ryde resident is now the centre’s operation manager and has overseen its expansion from 10 enrolments to this year’s cohort of 72 children.
“What drew me to this career was that I needed a job and I also loved hanging out with children so I thought I’d give it a go,” he said.
“My TAFE teachers showed me how important it was to not only look after children, but their families as well
“It struck me as industry where you could make a long-lasting difference.”
The award, presented by the Australian Childcare Alliance, partly recognises Mr Beesley’s contribution as a positive role model for children.
He said there was “still work to do” towards reducing the stigma of men working in the industry. Latest figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics show men make up less than one per cent of the childcare workforce.
“When I first started it was certainly a challenge and I’ve worked in centres where I was the first male educator they’ve ever had,” he said.
“Traditionally the stigma has been that childcare is just about looking after children which has long been incorrectly viewed as the job of a female.
“There are also pay discrepancies and the stereotype that men need to make all the money and I dare say that has turned some people away.
“We now have three men working at the centre as educators and they do it because they love it. It’s not about a person’s gender, it’s about being a good teacher.
“In some cases a male educator is the only positive male role model a child can have in their life – the more diverse range of influences a child has the better.”
The award also shines a light on the centre's role towards providing play-based learning activities.
Mr Beesley said the centre had taken active steps towards limiting screen time for children. The move is line with NSW Health guidelines, recommending one hour limits on screen time each day for children aged two to five.
“We found children are exposed to a lot of screen time at home so when they’re here we’ve opted not to have too much of that,” he said.
“There’s not a lot a video can do that an educator can’t provide.”
While providing classes and activities for six-dozen children can often prove tiring, he said his job was a labour love.
“Every career has it challenges and for me it’s the amount of hours in each day – there’s always more you want to do,” he said.
“Knowing our families are supported and having happy children go home each day is what makes it rewarding. All our staff go home tired, but are also fulfilled.”