Childcare Careers

What is Childcare?

The simple answer is educating and caring for children but it’s so much more than that. You can help with their reasoning and mental development of the children before school-going age. It includes the physical and social development of the children. All those fun games we all used to play as children taught us lessons. This is your opportunity to share your games and let the children you look after learn while playing. 

The impact that Childcare practitioners make in the lives of these little ones stay with them forever. 

Children that receive early development have a greater chance of succeeding later in life. With the lessons they learned forming the foundation for all future lessons to come. In short, Childcare is the first step in the life of children preparing them for the world.

What Qualification are Needed to Work in Childcare

When you send your child to Childcare you expect your Childcare Practitioner to have some form of education. That is so your child can receive the best care and head start in life. Besides, the South African Government has laws to ensure that the children are well taken care of. 

The minimum requirement to work with children is an NQF1 Early Childhood Development. But the government does recommend an NQF 4 Early Childhood Development qualification. Any of the qualifying Early Childhood development courses like an NQF Educare qualification will do. We would highly recommend an NQF 6 Educare qualification to improve your chances of getting your dream job.

Skills Academy offers you the opportunity to improve your CV, expand your knowledge and improve your chances to get that job. With our National Certificate N4 Educare until National Certificate N6 Educare courses you will be set to start in that new job sooner than you think. The best part is that you can study from home or while you keep your full time job. 

The Difference Between Early Childhood Development and Educare?

There is no difference. Some educational institutions refer to it as Early Childhood Development courses. Which is the name of the entire field but some use Educare as the name which is also correct. 

What is more important is know what kind of course you would like to do. A short course or a National Qualification (NQF).

The Difference Between Accredited and Non-Accredited Course

Short courses aren’t the same as an NQF (National Qualifications Framework) accredited course. Meaning they are a non-accredited course. Short courses prepare you for the Childcare Careers field but won’t cover all the skills that an NQF N4 Educare course would. NQF Educare courses give you more in-depth preparation for the Educare field. To sum it up a short childcare course is for informal Childcare Careers and an NQF N6 Educare course is for more formal Childcare Careers. An NQF course will help you reach your goal of working in a Childcare Careers field. 

Benefits of Working in Childcare

Very few jobs have the ability to make the same kind of impact as Childcare can. So it comes as no surprise that the Childcare Career field comes with a great set of benefits that will make you love your job even more. Here are some of the benefits of working in the Childcare Career field.

• You are a positive role model in the lives of the children that you interact with. In reality you are the Super Hero to them.
• Explore your creativity, play and learn by engaging the children. Every day holds something new and fun.
• Instant gratification. You see the results instantly of the amount of time and dedication you invest in the children.
• The option to travel as a childcare professional. There are plenty of nanny and Au Pair opportunities abroad.

These impressive benefits are available to you no matter what Childcare Career you choose. 

Career Opportunities in Childcare

With an Educare qualification, you will have options for what kind of careers you would like to do. Even the option to travel and explore a new country and culture while getting paid to do so. That sounds like a dream come true. If travel is not what you want to do there are options that allow you to work in the comfort of your town or even community.

Here are your top career options:

Au Pair

Au Pairs travel to foreign countries to provide childcare to host families. Depending on the country and agency, you get free accommodation and a salary. The salary depends on the country’s laws, the host family, your experience and qualifications. You get free time to explore the country and even take a language course if you so wish.

Nanny

Nannies take care of children full time and provide job stability. A nanny works up to 40 hours per week. They can either become a live-in nanny or just come to work and go when work is done type of nanny. A live-in nanny’s accommodation is included in your rate. The nanny handles the day to day tasks. Like picking up the kids, doing some form of educational activity, outings and childminding when the parents aren’t around. 

Babysitter

A babysitter also referred to as a sitter, is a childcare minder who works when their services are needed. You look after kids on a request basis and get paid an hourly rate. You can still have regular clients that you work for on a schedule or based on special occasion bookings. As a babysitter, you will have to plan activities for the children while the parents are away.

Choosing your Childcare Career field is exciting as there are many options for you. But, to start you need to first get the qualification then the dream job.

Join the Childcare Careers Field

Get in touch are start your course today!

• Call us for free on 0800 39 00 27
• Chat to us on Whatsapp via 082 318 8892
• Or fill out this registration form