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A new pathway to address the shortage of early childhood teachers in Australia

Dec 11, 2025

Addressing the shortage of early childhood teachers is critical to ensuring every child has access to high-quality, play-based early learning. To contribute to this objective, the Centre of Excellence in Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) is developing a degree apprenticeship for early childhood teaching. This initiative will build on established Certificate and Diploma-level ECEC traineeships, creating a fully vocational pathway that culminates in an Early Childhood Teaching degree qualification. 

Benefits of a vocational pathway

We see every day the benefits of producing high-quality, work-ready educators through Certificate and Diploma traineeships. This new degree apprenticeship will extend those benefits to the next generation of early childhood teachers, offering a workplace-based learning model that leads to a degree qualification while maintaining a strong link to industry and practice.


This initiative is designed to establish an alternative pathway into the profession, improve early career retention, and reverse current trends in low completion rates for traditional degree programs. The design of what is expected to be Australia’s first vocational degree pathway draws on established models from other industries and incorporates international developments, including those in the UK where similar apprenticeships are already being introduced.


The proposed four-year apprenticeship model will combine academic learning with structured workplace learning, grounded in early childhood pedagogy. Apprentices will work alongside qualified staff, gradually taking on curriculum planning and delivery through a co-teaching model - ensuring continuity of care while fostering professional growth. 

Research insights driving the design

Laura Cunningham, the Centre’s Senior Research Officer, has led the Centre’s research into employment-based teaching degree (EBDs) models in Australia and internationally. Her findings confirm that mentoring is critical for student completion and that co-teaching or teacher residency models consistently deliver high-quality teachers and improved outcomes for children. 

She also emphasises the importance of avoiding excessive workloads, which is a challenge seen in some existing EBD programs for primary and secondary teachers. 

Reflecting on these findings, Laura says: “The Early Childhood Teaching Degree Apprenticeship will see learning happen primarily in the workplace, supported by structured study. This ensures apprentices develop the confidence, professional skills, and research capabilities needed to deliver high-quality, play-based learning experiences for children from birth to five years.”

Looking ahead to 2026, the Centre will seek formal accreditation and approval from the applicable regulatory bodies, including ACECQA. Feedback will also be incorporated from a range of experts and service providers to ensure the degree apprenticeship meets the needs of the Australian ECEC sector and successfully adapts lessons from primary and secondary EBD models to early learning settings.

We acknowledge the traditional owners of the lands on which TAFE SA stands.


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