17 June 2024

TAFE NSW Griffith early childhood education and care students have been treated to a priceless hands-on lesson, with a three-week “pop-up” childcare centre recently operating at the campus.

As part of a unique collaboration, Dorothy Waide Centre for Early Learning brought children in daily over a three-week period to give students a real-life taste of the job – nappies and all.

With major renovations underway at Dorothy Waide, directors approached TAFE NSW Griffith to use the campus’s dedicated playgroup space, giving students a rare on-campus experience.

TAFE NSW Griffith Head Teacher of Early Childhood Education and Care, Bobbie Whittaker, said students immersed themselves in the opportunity, interacting with the children and getting a real-time lesson in everything from behaviour management to health and hygiene.

“This really put into practice what the students had been learning in theory,” Ms Whittaker said.

“For example, if a parent is in a rush to get to work and upset at having to leave their child and the child is showing signs of separation anxiety, this can be a difficult situation and along with the theory of how to deal with this, the hands on experience for students is invaluable.

“Students got to experience some really high-quality interactions and practices, and it was our close relationship with local industry that allowed this event to happen.”

It comes as Beelbangera Public School was recently earmarked by the NSW Government as the location of a new public preschool, part of a roll-out that marks the biggest expansion of public preschools in NSW history.

The childcare workforce is in crisis, according to the Australian Government Jobs Outlook, with an extra 11,000 early childhood educators nationwide needed to fill jobs from now until 2026.

Dorothy Waide Centre for Early Learning co-manager Alisha Bradshaw said the collaboration was part of an ongoing relationship between TAFE NSW and the centre.

“It was a wonderful opportunity to connect with the students and teachers at TAFE NSW and build on our connections in the community,” Ms Bradshaw said.

“Over the years, we have hosted many TAFE NSW students with placements at Dorothy Waide and it’s great for the sector, and for the broader community, that we have key relationships like this.”

TAFE NSW Griffith is offering both the Certificate III and Diploma of Early Childhood Education and Care for semester two, starting in July.

Media contact: Dan Johns, TAFE NSW Communications Specialist, Daniel.johns9@tafensw.edu.au, 0477 722 428