No playtime for students

By Callan Date
CASEY’S next generation of childcare workers is struggling to gain on-the-job training due to a lack of centres offering placements.
Several students have been turned away from local ABC Learning Centres after applying to undertake compulsory work placement as part of their studies.
Jan Jones, former children’s services coordinator at Chisholm Institute of TAFE Berwick Campus, said the issue was putting the childcare industry under a great deal of stress.
Ms Jones said it was becoming increasingly difficult for childcare students to undertake the required 25 weeks of on-the-job placement during their two-year course.
“Before ABC it was much easier for students to find placements in centres and that meant we could give students a greater range of childcare centres to learn in,” Ms Jones said.
“We are now limited by some of the ABC centres not taking on students.”
ABC Learning Centres have their own training facility, The National Institute of Early Childhood Education, where students pay fees and learn to become an early childhood professional.
An ABC Learning Centres spokesman said the company encourage local TAFE and university students to apply for placements at their centres.
“Unfortunately, not all students can get placements when they may want them,” he said.
“Our priority is always the safety and security of the children in our care and a decision on whether to offer a placement is made on a case-by-case basis based on several factors.”
However, Ms Jones said it was difficult for students not enrolled in the ABC program to get a practical placement at ABC Learning Centres.
“They are really cutting off their nose to spite their face.
“There is a desperate shortage of people in the industry at the moment and this will just severely reduce the number of people even more,” she said.
Narre Kids Early Learning Centre owner Alfred Zommers has also voiced similar concerns to Ms Jones.
Mr Zommers said his centre was doing its best to help out Casey’s childcare students and had provided placements for 11 people throughout April and May.
“We have taken as many as we can but there are limits. We had three students with one qualified teacher but it can get too much,” Mr Zommers said.
He said he had had to turn up to four students away every week for the past month.
“It’s one thing to learn in the classrooms but you have to learn things on the job as well.
“The room leader is there to ensure that the students do it all properly and maintain the safety of the children,” he said.
Mr Zommers said many students who asked about a placement at Narre Kids had been refused a spot at local ABC Learning Centres.
“This is silly – I’m sure everyone of their centres in not chock-a-block full of students.
“If students are having great difficulties in getting placements they might face a delay in finishing their course.
“Making them travel long distances to other childcare centres outside the local area is not very fair either,” Mr Zommers said.