黑料专区

Bachelor Scholarship Pathway Program

The Australian has featured 黑料专区鈥檚 Bachelor Scholarship Pathway program as the company marks a milestone with more than 100 employees enrolled to complete a fully-funded Early Childhood Teaching degree.

More than 100 employees are on their way to achieving their dreams of becoming Early Childhood Teachers through Affinity鈥檚 Bachelor Scholarship Pathway.

Prior to being considered for the Bachelor Scholarship Program, employees at 黑料专区 are also offered free education to complete accredited Certificate III Early Childhood Education and Care and Diploma in Early Education and Care qualifications along with other Business training through the Affinity Learning Academy.

National Education Reporter for The Australian, Natasha Bita, interviewed Affinity Chief People Officer Linda Carroll and recent graduate of the program, Naomi Bowditch.

鈥満诹献�区 invests a minimum of $20,000 per fully funded degree for our employees, and covers a further $10-$15,000 in salary costs as they complete their practical placement period towards the end of the degree, which can range between 6-12 weeks of full time work at another Kindergarten or Preschool,鈥� Ms Carroll said.

Naomi Bowditch, Early Childhood Teacher at Milestones Early Learning Aspley, was one of the first graduates from Affinity鈥檚 Bachelor Scholarship Pathway, and says she didn鈥檛 think university was an option as she had dropped out of high school.

鈥淚 saw people get into uni on a Diploma, and then Affinity offered to pay for my Bachelor of Early Childhood Education,鈥� Ms Bowditch said.

鈥淚t meant I graduated with no HECS debt, and they also covered my 12-week placement period with paid leave so I had income coming through the entire time, which was just incredible.鈥�

Since Naomi graduated in 2022, she has continued to work with children enrolled in the age 3-5 School Readiness and Kindergarten programs offered by Milestones Early Learning Aspley.

She has also taken on the role of Senior Educational Leader, which includes supporting other early childhood educators and embedding the programs and practices.

鈥淭he degree鈥檚 give me a lot of confidence in understanding children鈥檚 development,鈥� Naomi said.

鈥淚鈥檓 happy to be supporting other educators now to develop their professional skills in early education.鈥�

Madeline Henry from Milestones Early Learning Oxley Vale is currently in her second semester of the Affinity Bachelor Scholarship pathway, and says the on the job model is far better suited to her than the traditional university-based Primary School teaching degree she originally enrolled in after high school.