THE answer to unreliable staffing with pre-vetted, motivated trainees ready to succeed.
It’s 5.57am and the message leaps out at you: “I’m not coming in today”.
Your heart sinks and there’s a silent scream in your head. “Not again...”
And just like that your day starts in chaos. Scrambling for cover, aware that the children will be unsettled, and stressed before you even walk through the gates.
Little wonder that finding reliable, dedicated people is one of the top challenges for childcare centre Directors.
But what if you could bring in trainees already vetted, motivated and supported before they even start?
SBATs enable high school students to work in their chosen industry while completing their HSC. Combining paid work with a nationally recognised qualification.
By the time a potential trainee has gone through the SBAT selection process, their likelihood of success is high:
Before you even think about offering the student a traineeship they will have been through five separate steps designed to filter out the timewasters.
This includes a two-week unpaid work placement at your centre. You see their attitude, reliability and fit before you make any commitment.
They have chosen this pathway and your vocation. They finish Year 12 with a Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care, qualified to walk into full-time paid employment.
That’s more than any of their friends will be able to say, and more importantly it builds their self-esteem and confidence. They want this.
At 15 and 16 the students are still forming work habits. It means they are easier to train, will mould to your way of working and your centre’s ethos. And as they buy in, they become reliable and committed to you and your centre.
Unlike other trainees, SBAT students come in with built-in accountability and support.
All invested in the student's success.
Atkinson Childcare College is with your trainee every step of the way.
A dedicated trainer committed to their success. An online training and assessment portal to fit into their world. Regular in-centre visits, and phone and email support from the entire team at Atkinson.
Little wonder that 97.8% of our trainees self-report as “Job ready” and raring to go.
Recruitment process and course delivery if you elect to take part:
Students are informed and apply
Career Counsellors at schools run information events in conjunction with the SBAT team from the Department of Education. To explain how they work, the commitments required, benefits and specific course overviews.
They are informed and curious.
The students are vetted and trained
Interested students are shortlisted by the Department of Education to complete the “Start your Future” short course in childcare.
You trial them first
As part of the short course, a student has a two-week unpaid work placement at your centre.
The perfect opportunity for you to see their work ethic and their attitude to the children and the other members of your team.
You decide
Once the student has completed the short course you can offer a traineeship, or not. There is no obligation.
A signed Training Plan
If you do offer a Traineeship, a start date is agreed and a Training Plan is developed in association with Atkinson Childcare College, the Department of Education and the student.
One that all parties sign. A formal commitment by all, to the success of the trainee.
The course training is delivered online with leaners accessing the Atkinson learning portal and completing their assessments there.
This gives the student the flexibility to complete their studies in times that suit them, either during termtime or in the holidays.
There is phone and email-based support from our Trainers and administration staff as needed, and regular centre visits in the workplace to keep them progressing through their course as per their Training Plan.
Schools are recruiting students for up-and-coming intakes.
Many Centre Directors are struggling to attract the right people.
SBATs flip that script.
Traineeships have the highest completion rate out of any tertiary qualification and are safest recruitment move you can make.
"Atkinson provides strong expectations of what they want from learners, which I really respect: committed, dedicated educators.
They make it very easy for me to keep track of exactly where the trainees are up to and what they’ve completed and things like that.
And if I or one of my trainees has a problem I can ring up and know that they will listen to me and work out an answer.
I really like the mutual respect and professionalism they have for us.”