Occupation Outlook Report 2016 Early Childhood Teachers

SOCIAL & COMMUNITY SERVICES -+ -+ -+

EARLY CHILDHOOD INCOME FEES JOB PROSPECTS
TEACHERS

JOB PROSPECTS The increasing focus on the value of early childhood education, and
At a glance the increasing participation of women in the workforce, make job
prospects for this occupation good.

In recent years, the entry to this profession has become competitive
with supply outstripping demand.

But, with the population of people aged 15 years or under projected to
rise, the long-term demand for early childhood teachers will be stable.
The demand for early childhood teachers who are speakers of Māori
and Pasifika languages is particularly strong.

ƔƔ How to become an early childhood teacher Rents vary from place to place. Estimated market rents by re-
gion, city and suburb are available on the MBIE tenancy Services
Early childhood teachers teach the basics of numeracy, literacy, website.
music, art and literature to pre-primary students. They also
help their students’ social, emotional, and physical develop- The StudyLink website provides general budget advice for
ment. These teachers work in early childhood education (ECE) students, and the Sorted website provides help with detailed
services such as kindergartens, kōhanga reo or education and budget planning.
care centres.
→→ Tenancy Services: www.tenancy.govt.nz/rent-bond-and-bills
Qualifications needed
→→ StudyLink: www.studylink.govt.nz
To become a qualified early childhood teacher, you need one of
the following: →→ Sorted: www.sorted.org.nz/calculators/money-planner

• Bachelor of Education/Teaching (Early Childhood Education) Where to study

• Graduate Diploma of Teaching (Early Childhood Education), There is a good number of teaching training providers through-
or out New Zealand. Many of these provide distance learning.
TeachNZ publishes a summary of providers.
• Diploma of Teaching (Early Childhood Education).
→→ TeachNZ www.teachnz.govt.nz/teaching-in-new-zealand/
You also need to be registered with the Education Council of getting-qualified
Aotearoa New Zealand.
The Ministry of Education grants a number of scholarships to
To become a qualified kōhanga reo kaiako, you need: those who would like to train as early childhood teachers.

• a Tino Rangatiratanga Whakapakari Tohu (kōhanga reo →→ TeachNZ: www.teachnz.govt.nz/scholarships
teaching qualification) and
Registration
• a Bachelor of Education (Whakaako) Early Childhood
Education Whāriki Papatipu from Victoria University in First-year early childhood teachers must become provisionally
Wellington. registered with the Education Council of Aotearoa New Zealand
and issued with a practising certificate. They gain full registra-
To enter the Tino Rangatiratanga Whakapakari Tohu you will tion after two years’ satisfactory work as a teacher.
also need the National Certificate in te Reo Māori (Level 4) or
equivalent. The Bachelor of Education qualification is the only →→ Education Council of Aotearoa New Zealand:
kōhanga reo teaching qualification that leads to registration by www.educationcouncil.org.nz/
the Education Council of Aotearoa New Zealand.
Completed qualifications
Cost of study
The number of students completing a Bachelor’s degree has in-
creased. The number of completions in teacher education (early
childhood) more than doubled from 560 in 2007 to 1,190 in 2014.

Bachelor’s Degree in Teaching Graduate Diploma

$7,200 over one year $16,700 over three years

Average costs in 2015 for a domestic student. Costs vary between
institutions. Further costs include student levies, administrative fees,
materials, textbooks and accommodation.

SOCIAL & COMMUNITY SERVICES

EARLY CHILDHOOD TEACHERS

2000Number of students 30,000 2009 2014 2019 2024
completing qualification 25,000
1500 20,000
Employment 15,000
1000 10,000

500 5,000
0
0
2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 Estimate Forecast

Diploma Bachelor's Degree Graduate Certificates and Diplomas Source: MBIE Estimates

Source: Ministry of Education Where to find job vacancies

ƔƔ Income and employment prospects The number of online job vacancies for early childhood teachers
increased by 35.8% from September 2014 to September 2015.
Income This compares with an overall increase of 1.9% for all vacancies
The average income for early education teachers was estimated over the same period.
to be $62,500 in 2015.
Most public teaching vacancies are advertised through the
Estimated average income Education Gazette. Private teaching vacancies are advertised
through public media such as the Trade Me Jobs and Seek
$62,500 websites.

Average income from Statistics New Zealand’s June 2015 New Zealand →→ Education Gazette: www.edgazette.govt.nz
Income Survey. Estimated from average hourly earnings.
→→ Trade Me Jobs: www.trademe.co.nz/jobs
Pay for early childhood teachers varies depending on qualifica-
tion, experience and place of work. Often, pay is individually →→ Seek: www.seek.co.nz
negotiated with the private or independent education and care
centres. Those with a Diploma in Early Childhood Teaching start Career path
on about $35,000 and can reach about $54,000 a year.
Early childhood teachers with a three-year degree earn between Careers that can be followed outside the early childhood educa-
$44,000 and $69,000. Those with a four-year degree can start tion (ECE) system include:
at about $45,000 and progress to a maximum of about $73,000
after seven years. Early childhood teachers with leadership roles • teaching trainee teachers in tertiary institutions
(such as head teachers) earn around $75,000 a year.
• doing research, policy or advisory work in the education
Earnings after qualification completion sector

Three–year degree Four–year degree • working in training and education roles in business.

$44,000 to $69,000 per year $45,000 to $73,000 per year Careers inside the ECE system include leadership roles of
kindergartens or ECE centres (for example, head teachers), or
Source: Ministry of Education, ‘Kindergarten Teachers, Head Teachers management roles across several kindergartens or ECE centres,
and Senior Teachers’ Collective Agreement, 2013 to 2016’; New Zealand or within associations or private providers. ECE teachers may
Educational Institute, ‘The Early Childhood Education Collective Agreement, also move into youth/community work, policy work and teacher
2013 to 2015’. education.

Employment and skill shortages ƔƔ Other information
Early childhood teachers’ employment
Links
Current Projected growth
More information on teachers is available on the Careers New
March 2013 March 2014 2014–19 2019–24 Zealand website.

→→ Careers New Zealand: www.careers.govt.nz

The recently launched education.govt.nz is the new website for
the Ministry of Education, and it replaces minedu.govt.nz, lead.
ece.govt.nz, and educate.ece.govt.nz

26,150 27,650 1.3% 1.3%
up 5.7% per year per year

Source: Ministry of Education; Ministry of Business, Innovation and
Employment

Over the past few years, the number of employed early child- watch just
hood teachers has increased to an estimated 27,650 in March the job video
2015. This trend is expected to continue over the next few years,
growing by 1.3% per year to 2024.