Great early childhood educators are becoming one of the most valuable assets in Australia’s early childhood sector. While workforce shortages dominate many industry discussions, another challenge is emerging: finding educators who consistently demonstrate initiative, ownership and professional judgement.
There is certainly some truth to that. Many services struggle to attract qualified staff, particularly in regional areas and growth corridors. Competition for experienced educators remains intense, and leadership positions can remain vacant for months.
However, after speaking with thousands of educators, teachers, Educational Leaders and Centre Managers across Australia, I have become increasingly convinced that the sector is facing a second challenge that receives far less attention.
An initiative shortage.
That statement may sound provocative, particularly at a time when many educators are working harder than ever. It is not intended as a criticism of the profession. Rather, it is an observation about what many employers are finding once candidates arrive for interviews, working interviews and trial shifts.
Qualifications are becoming easier to find. Initiative is not.
For educators looking to strengthen their long-term career prospects, our early childhood career development guide explores the skills, behaviours and professional pathways that help educators progress into leadership positions.
What makes great early childhood educators stand out?
Most services are not looking for superheroes.
They are looking for educators who notice that the water station needs replenishing and take action without being asked. Educators who engage meaningfully with children instead of waiting for instructions. Educators who identify opportunities for learning, support their colleagues and contribute positively to the culture of a service.
These behaviours are rarely listed on a qualification certificate.
Yet they are often the qualities that separate average educators from exceptional ones.
Centre Managers regularly tell us that they can teach systems, policies and procedures. What is far more difficult is teaching ownership, curiosity and professional judgement.
In many cases, the challenge is not whether a candidate can perform the role. The challenge is whether they actively choose to contribute beyond the minimum requirements.
A growing concern among employers
Over the past two years, we have observed a recurring theme during recruitment processes.
Candidates frequently meet the formal requirements of a position. They hold the necessary qualifications, have relevant experience and interview reasonably well. However, some struggle to demonstrate initiative during practical assessments, working interviews or trial shifts.
This is particularly noticeable when employers compare candidates who have similar qualifications but very different approaches to their work.
One educator immediately begins interacting with children, supporting colleagues and identifying opportunities to contribute. Another waits to be directed throughout the shift, twiddling their thumbs while waiting for the next direction.
The difference is rarely technical knowledge. The difference is initiative.
Workforce shortages remain a recognised challenge, with labour market analysis from Jobs and Skills Australia continuing to highlight pressure across education and care occupations.
While pay and conditions remain important, our guide to early childhood educator salaries in Australia demonstrates that many employers are increasingly seeking candidates who can contribute beyond the minimum requirements of the role.
Have we become too focused on compliance?
The early childhood sector operates within a highly regulated environment. Compliance matters. Child safety matters. Documentation matters.
However, there is a risk that professional success becomes defined primarily by meeting minimum standards.
Great services do not become exceptional by merely complying with regulations. Great services are built by educators who think critically, act proactively and take ownership of their role within the team.
Regulatory requirements and quality expectations continue to evolve, with guidance and sector resources provided by the Australian Children’s Education & Care Quality Authority (ACECQA).
When recruitment conversations focus exclusively on qualifications, ratios and compliance requirements, we may unintentionally overlook some of the attributes that matter most in practice.
Why great early childhood educators are increasingly valuable
The demands placed on early childhood services continue to grow.
Families expect high-quality educational programs. Providers face increasing workforce pressures. Educational Leaders are supporting increasingly diverse teams. Centre Managers are balancing operational, compliance and leadership responsibilities simultaneously.
In this environment, initiative is not a luxury.
It is a competitive advantage.
Services with teams that demonstrate initiative often experience stronger workplace culture, better collaboration and improved retention. They are also better positioned to navigate the uncertainty and change that continues to shape the sector.
What should we be looking for?
Perhaps the question is not whether a candidate has five years of experience or six.
Perhaps it is whether they:
- engage authentically with children without prompting
- identify problems and propose solutions
- support colleagues proactively
- demonstrate curiosity and a willingness to learn
- contribute positively to workplace culture
- take ownership of their professional practice
These qualities can be difficult to measure on a resume, but they are often immediately visible during a working interview.
Australia does not simply need more educators. It needs more great early childhood educators who combine technical knowledge with initiative, professional judgement and a commitment to continuous improvement.
A conversation worth having
Australia undoubtedly faces workforce challenges in early childhood education.
We need more educators, more teachers and more leaders.
At the same time, it may be worth asking whether the conversation has become too focused on the quantity of educators entering the sector and not focused enough on the qualities that help educators thrive once they arrive.
The services that succeed over the next decade may not simply be those that attract the most candidates.
They may be the ones that identify, develop and retain professionals who consistently demonstrate initiative, ownership and professional judgement.
The sector does not simply need more educators. It needs more great early childhood educators who combine technical knowledge with initiative, professional judgement and a commitment to continuous improvement.
Perhaps the most important workforce question facing the sector is not how many educators we need.
Perhaps it is what kind of educators we want to become.
Industry publications such as The Sector regularly report on workforce, leadership and policy developments affecting early childhood education across Australia.
Through our specialist early childhood recruitment work, we regularly observe that initiative, engagement and professional judgement are often the qualities that distinguish outstanding candidates from average ones.
Reference List
Nguyen, H., Fox, S., Cumming, T. and Thorpe, K. (2025) ‘Professional identity, workforce capability and educator development in early childhood education: A systematic review’, Early Childhood Education Journal.
Phillips, A. (2023) ‘Characteristics of high-quality early childhood education and care centres’, Frontiers in Education, 8.
Sims, M. and Waniganayake, M. (2022) ‘Leadership and professional practice in early childhood education’, Australasian Journal of Early Childhood, 47(4), pp. 321–334.
Thorpe, K., Staton, S. and Houen, S. (2024) ‘Building workforce capability and quality improvement in early childhood education and care’, Children Australia, 49(1).
Wong, S. and Press, F. (2021) ‘Professionalism and workforce development in Australian early childhood education and care’, Australian Educational Researcher, 48(5), pp. 845–862.