National campaign to attract thousands of new childcare staff

0 People are being urged to consider a career switch to the childcare sector A national drive to recruit extra childcare staff has been launched amid concerns of a struggle to find the workers needed to reach flagship Scottish Government targets on full-time childcare in Scotland.

Scots are now being urged to consider a career switch to the sector, which is viewed as offering better job satisfaction levels. Almost 2,000 more training places for people to study childcare are being created this year as part of efforts to recruit thousands more workers to the sector.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has pledged to almost double free nursery care to 1,140 hours a year by 2020, but an extra 11,000 staff are needed and Audit Scotland has voiced concerns about whether this can be achieved.

Childcare minister Maree Todd said: “We know that when people consider changing career they want to achieve a good work life balance and do rewarding and meaningful work. A career in childcare does exactly that.

“Our expansion of funded nursery education and childcare will create thousands of high quality and well-paid jobs acrossscotland.workingwith children is rewarding, enjoyable and meaningful, and this is the focus of our ‘A Job and A Joy’ campaign. I urge those thinking of changing jobs to seriously consider a career in childcare.”

Ms Todd launched the new A Job and A Joy recruitment campaign, on a visit to the Country Bumpkins nursery in Invernesshire.

Improving their work/life balance is the most common reason for people changing job, while 58 per cent said they wanted more rewarding work.

Two fifths (40 per cent) described working in childcare as a “meaningful” role, while 34 per cent said it offered people the chance to have fun, with 24 per cent adding it allowed them to be creative.

Ms Todd met nursery worker Nicola Johnstone, who recently switched from working as a hairdresser to join the nursery staff.

She said: “I absolutely love it. It’s such a rewarding role. Seeing children’s happy faces makes you feel happy and there’s a real sense of achievement. I enjoy being part of a team and there’s lots of creativity, no two days are the same.”

Country Bumpkins nursery manager Nicola Bartlett added: “We have a number of people who have changed careers andmovedintochildcarehere at the nursery. I think the fact that it’s a fun and varied job makes it attractive, and that you’re really making a difference to the children’s lives so it’s also very rewarding.”