Thrive by Five Welcomes NSW Labor Commitment of $22 Million for Early Learning Workforce Training and Research
15 March 2023 – NSW Opposition Leader Chris Minns has prioritised early learning with the announcement of a $22 million commitment to upskill the state’s early learning workforce through funding for scholarships, professional development, and research.
The announcement also includes a commitment to building 100 public preschools co-located with government primary schools in its first term of government if elected later this month.
NSW Labor’s announcement follows the recent NSW Coalition commitment to build 500 new preschools across the state and bring forward the start of the one-year free preschool program if re-elected at this month’s election.
Minderoo Foundation’s Thrive by Five initiative welcomes the recognition of early learning’s crucial role in child development and supporting parents to return to the workforce, by both parties.
Thrive by Five’s Director Jay Weatherill said, “A skilled and well-trained workforce is crucial for a universally accessible and affordable, high-quality early learning system in NSW.
“NSW has long faced an early learning workforce crisis, with recent ACECQA data showing up to 10.7 per cent of the state’s early learning providers having a staffing waiver, reducing early learning spaces and increasing pressure on existing staff [1].
“Additional investment in NSW’s early learning workforce will have a significant impact on the female-dominated early childhood education and care sector and help accelerate the state’s move towards universally accessible early learning,” he said.
