What Exactly Is Educare?
Educare covers a broad range of subject matter that relates to the caretaking and education of children during their early developmental years. This being from birth till the age of 5.
The main focus of Educare being that every student who completes their National Diploma in Educare be equipped with the needed knowledge and skills to comprehensively and intuitively support, care for and educate children.
This support, care and education revolves around the first stages of a child’s life and is thus a very important part of the growing and learning phase of every individual.
Educare students will learn how to identify and work with early childhood illnesses and developmental problems. They will learn how to prepare effective lessons that aid in the overall growth of a child. The qualification also teaches students ways to correctly apply and use communication skills with both children and colleagues.
Educare also covers much more, it aims to enable those who are qualified to open and manage their own early childhood development centres such as creches and pre-schools.
Educare As A Career Choice
After completing your Educare NATED Qualification, the way forward is lined with possibilities. Beyond the possible career paths that Educare leads to, the benefits of working in the field are just as numerous.
Career Opportunities With Educare
Once you have successfully completed your qualification in Educare, and are ready to enter the world of possible careers, there are a few stand-out options. These options include:
- Daycare Centre Administrator
As a Daycare Centre Administrator you will be responsible for the administration and day-to-day operations of an ECD facility. This career involves a range of technical and administrative skills. That being said you will be the individual who focuses on the efficient management of all interactions between the children, other staff members, and parents.
- Au Pair
An Au Pair is a career path that young people are pursuing more and more. The reason for this is the flexible work hours, the ability to work hours to equal a good salary, and then finally, the possibility of international employment. Being an Au Pair will require you to not only care for the educational needs of the children in your care, but also the day-to-day needs as they arise (including transporting children, preparing meals and engaging in hobbies and sporting activities).
- Babysitter
As a babysitter you will be tasked with the total care of a child or children in an unsupervised role. This almost always involves doing so in the privacy of their own home and in the absence of their parents. Odd working hours are a possibility but so are very flexible hours, which you can use to your advantage when it comes to a salary.
- Daycare Manager
When you choose to follow a career as a Daycare Manager, you take on the managerial side of ECD facilities. This is an ideal position for individuals who have a strong sense of responsibility, great administrative skills, high-quality interpersonal skills, and a love for children. Running an entire ECD facility will require you to truly have a passion for the development, wellness and education of children.
- ECD Childcare Assistant
In this role you will be the primary assistant to the designated classroom teacher of whichever facility you work at. This means that you will be responsible for making sure that the classroom or careroom environment is positive, fun and educational. At times you might be asked to monitor the children when the main teacher is unavailable.
- Infant, Toddler, or Preschool Teacher
Using an Educare qualification to become an infant, toddler, or preschool teacher depends on your prospective employer. If the facility and your employer are willing to allow you to fulfill the role of teacher, they can possibly ask you to further your studies whilst you work for them. This is a great opportunity to develop a career for yourself. As a teacher for this age group of children involves being extremely loving, hands-on, passionate and gentle, but is very rewarding!
Personal Benefits Of Pursuing A Career In Educare
Beyond just the employment opportunities and benefits, following a career in Educare provides a large variety of personal benefits as well. The personal effects of being involved with early childhood development have the potential to be life changing, and there are many reasons for this.
For example:
- Having a career that is both fun and enjoyable
- The increase in employment opportunities
- It is both a reliable and fulfilling career
- Flexibility in work schedule
- The sharing and gaining of knowledge
- Challenging but very rewarding
- It cultivates creativity
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The Rewards Of Having A Career In Educare
Having a career in Educare, just like any other profession, will reward you as you progress. The rewarding elements of a career in Educare is what draws almost all individuals to it. These are the most notable rewards that you can expect when you choose a career in this field.
- It will increase your communication skills
- Develop your ability to plan and teach
- Grow your creative thinking skills
- Your ability to make decisions under pressure will increase
- Analytical skills
- You will gain excellent organizational skills
- Your leadership abilities will improve
- Add to your physical and mental growth
Increasing Your Communication Skills
When you choose a career in Educare, regardless of which one, your communication skills will be increased as you progress. Working with children during their developmental years requires you to actively focus on how you communicate. Working in Educare means that you will continuously improve your written, verbal and nonverbal communication skills.
Developing Your Planning And Instruction Skills
Being employed in the Educare field will occasionally require you to make use of your abilities to plan certain activities and lessons. These activities will focus on the physical and social interactions that you will have with the children. The lesson planning will focus more on the early educational needs of the children such as reading and writing.
Creative Thinking
Requiring a good sense of creativity, working in childcare will advance this skill. Using creative thinking to plan and organize fun activities, events and ways to keep children engaged and motivated. Finding ways and methods to keep these activities creative and fun can be challenging, but the benefit of using the creative side of your brain more and more will only benefit you in the long run.
Decision Making Skills
Working in an environment that is based on the care and welfare of children will place you in daily situations where your ability to make rational, analytical and beneficial decisions will be both tested and improved. Making the correct choices and taking action in emergency situations will also be an aspect of your career in Educare that is highly rewarding.
Development Of Analytical Skills
The analytical aspects of working in Educare will come into play when you are tasked with the weighing of daily operations as a childcare worker. This includes curriculum planning, extra-curricular activities, the benefits of certain tasks and activities on the children themselves, to name a few. Practicing your analytical abilities everyday will cultivate you to apply these skills outside of your career as well.
Gaining Excellent Organizational Skills
Having and effectively improving your organizational skills as you work is one of the biggest advantages of a career as a childcare professional. These skills will help you in situations where you are either the sole caretaker of a child or if you are working in a classroom environment. Maintaining student files, result recording and other administrative tasks will reward you with excellent organizational skills.
Growth In Leadership Qualities
Tasked with the setting up and maintenance of a leadership role in an environment of working with children, is an essential quality you will gain and improve as you work. Children are easily influenced and thus they need someone who is an excellent leader and mentor. As the children grow and learn from you, you yourself will grow and improve, adjusting your leadership style as the need arises.
Physical And Mental Growth
Working with young children can be quite physical at times. By engaging them on a daily basis not just from an educational point of view but also from a physical perspective, will literally keep you on your toes. Daily improvement of both your physical and mental state is one of the most enduring rewards of working in Educare.
