Amid the plate-spinning of running an early learning service, workplace training can be the first thing to drop off the list. For centre owners and managers balancing staffing, compliance, whānau communication and the daily needs of tamariki, professional development needs to be practical.
Work-based learning, also known as on-the-job training, can offer a practical option. It allows people to build skills while continuing in their usual role, with learning connected to the tasks and responsibilities they already manage each day.
For centres, this can be useful across teaching and non-teaching roles. A well-planned approach can help services build capability and give staff clearer pathways to develop within the service.
Workplace training does not replace the recognised initial teacher education qualifications required for certificated teaching roles. Instead, it can complement those pathways, particularly for owners, managers, support staff and senior teachers stepping into leadership.
Where work-based learning can help
If a centre is considering work-based learning, a useful first step is to check the New Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA). NZQA provides information about qualifications and how they are recognised, helping services assess whether a programme is suitable.
Qualification options that may be relevant to early learning services include:
New Zealand Certificate in Laundry Processing (Level 2) with an optional strand in Washroom Procedures. For centres with onsite laundry, this can support staff to work safely, efficiently and consistently when managing laundering processes.
Hospitality Savvy Award. For centres preparing meals and snacks onsite, this can support kitchen teams with the essentials of food hygiene, health and safety, and customer service, helping to protect children at mealtimes and build confidence with parents and caregivers.
Team Lead Savvy Award. For senior teachers, room leaders and other staff stepping into more responsibility, this can provide a practical grounding in communication, coordination and leadership. It can support staff to give performance feedback, plan daily schedules, and manage ECE, support and relief teams more confidently.
New Zealand Certificate in Business (Introduction to Team Leadership) - Level 3 and New Zealand Certificate in Business (First Line Management) - Level 4. For time-poor owners and managers, these qualifications may support second-in-command staff and emerging leaders to build the skills needed to manage day-to-day operations and lead teams on the ground.
Many services choose to work with an approved work-based learning provider. The provider does not replace the employer's role in training. Instead, it can help identify training needs, provide learning materials, and guide workplace leaders to support, assess and track a trainee's progress.
Why it can suit busy centres
One of the main benefits of work-based learning is that it is linked to the real work happening inside the service. Staff can continue earning while they learn and apply new learning directly in their role. Because learning is often completed over time and assessed through practical workplace tasks, it can be built around the rhythm of the centre rather than disrupting the roster.
Programme timeframes vary, with some qualifications taking around a year, so centres should confirm the expected learner and supervisor time before enrolling.
It can also help create clearer expectations. When staff are learning against recognised standards, this supports more consistent ways of working across the team, particularly where several people share responsibilities or relief staff are involved.
Work-based learning can also build transferable skills in communication, teamwork and problem-solving, helping services stay flexible during busy periods or staff changes.
Supporting leadership from within
Work-based learning can support staff retention and internal leadership development. Giving people a pathway to grow can help staff feel valued and more confident about their future in early learning.
For owners and managers, this can make it easier to identify staff ready to take on more responsibility. A team member building confidence in communication, planning, problem-solving or supervision may be well placed to support room leadership or future management.
This does not need to mean training everyone at once. A practical starting point is to identify one or two areas where extra capability would make the biggest difference, such as supporting a room leader, strengthening kitchen processes, building confidence in a 2IC, or helping a long-serving staff member formalise skills they are already using.
Questions to ask before enrolling
Before committing to any programme, centre leaders may want to ask:
What capability gap are we trying to address?
Which staff member or role would benefit most from structured training?
How much time will the learning and assessment require?
What support will the provider offer the learner and the workplace?
How will the training improve day-to-day practice for the service?
Taking time to answer these questions can help ensure training is purposeful, manageable and connected to the needs of the centre.
The journey of learning and development is not only for tamariki. Planned well, work-based learning can help early learning services turn everyday work into purposeful professional development.
Article contributed by ServiceIQ.
