Early childhood teachers and educators

Educators looking to take the next step in their career can apply for the accelerated Bachelor of Early Childhood Education at Deakin University.

This innovative degree program means Victorian educators can upskill to become an early childhood teacher in 18 months, instead of 3 years, through Deakin’s trimester model of delivery.

Eligible participants will also receive extra support within early childhood services, including mentorship and time release for study.

Students who commence the program in March 2022 would receive their degree and enter the early childhood workforce as qualified teachers in June 2023.

Three-Year-Old Kindergarten is rolling out in regional Victoria first and qualified kinder teachers are needed to make sure children living in regional areas have equal access to a high-quality kinder program. With plenty of kinder jobs for you to enhance your career and financial incentives and relocation support available, now is the time to return home to your community or make the move to regional Victoria that you’ve always wanted to.

Graduate teachers who take up positions in regional areas will also be supported through the  mentoring program, which helps to find mentors for people who do not have access to a mentor in their service or a nearby service.

Between $9,000 and $50,000 is available for qualified kinder teachers to take up positions in services delivering Three-Year-Old Kindergarten in 2021.

These incentives will be available to those who:

• take a role 100km or more from their current place of residence, or
• make the switch from a teaching career in primary schools or another profession.

If you live 200km or more away from the service, an additional $3,000 may be available to help you relocate.

Incentives are targeted to help ensure there are enough early childhood teachers where we need them and will change each year in line with the roll-out of funded kindergarten for 3-year-olds.

You do not need to have held a scholarship to be eligible for a financial incentive.

If you’re a qualified kinder teacher and would like to take up a Three-Year-Old Kindergarten job and be eligible for an incentive of up to $50,000, email kinderreform@mcarthur.com.au.

Apply now

Visit the Victorian Department of Education and Training website for further information on kinder teacher incentives.

If you have any questions about applying for an incentive, we’re here to help. Just email EC.Financial.Support@edumail.vic.gov.au or call 1300 161 396.

As an Australian-first initiative, Three-Year-Old Kindergarten presents an exciting opportunity for qualified kinder teachers and educators to return to teaching or to make your move to Victoria. Teachers and educators are the backbone of this reform, and the Victorian Government has introduced a range of new professional development and access to tools, resources and supports to help you to deliver high-quality kindergarten programs every day.

If you’ve already studied to become a kinder teacher or educator either in Victoria or in another state you can go to the  ACECQA website to check if your qualification allows you to work in a kinder in Victoria.

Teachers with an ACECQA-approved qualification must be registered to teach in Victoria with the Victorian Institute of Teaching (VIT).

For those returning to teaching, visit the Returning to teaching from non-practising page on the VIT website for more information.

For those registered in another state in Australia or in New Zealand, you can apply to VIT using the Mutual Recognition pathway. VIT will assess if your qualification qualifies you for Early Childhood Teacher registration under ‘equivalent occupation. Visit the Registering as a teacher page on the VIT website for more information.

If you’re an educator interested in becoming qualified as a kinder teacher visit the early childhood teaching page.