Child Care Centre Managers

ANZSCO ID 1341

Overview

Snapshot

Employed
24,500
Future Growth
21.8%
Weekly Earnings
$1,494
Full-Time Share
72%
Female Share
92%
Average age
40

Summary

Child Care Centre Managers plan, organise, direct, control and coordinate the activities of childcare centres and services including physical and human resources.

Also known as: Child Care Centre Director or Coordinator.

A diploma in early childhood education and care is usually needed to work as a Child Care Centre Manager. Some workers have a university qualification.

Tasks

  • developing and implementing programs to enhance the physical, social, emotional and intellectual development of young children

  • providing care for children in before-school, after-school, day, and vacation care centres

  • directing and supervising Child Carers in providing care and supervision for young children

  • ensuring the centre is a safe area for children, staff and visitors

  • complying with relevant government requirements and standards

  • liaising with parents

  • maintaining records and accounts for the centre

  • recruiting staff and coordinating professional development

Characteristics

Job Type
Managers
Skill Level
Very high skill
ANZSCO Occupation group
Unemployment Rate
Average
Industries
Pathway(s)
  • University
  • Vocational Education and Training (VET)
Interests
  • Administrative
  • Enterprising
  • Helping
Physical Demand
  • Sedentary

Outlook

Employment Outlook

JSA produces employment projections to show where likely future job opportunities may be. The latest data are for the five years from November 2021 to November 2026. Over this period, the number of workers:

  • is expected to grow very strongly
  • is likely to reach 18,700 by 2026.
  • Source: Jobs and Skills Australia Employment Projections to 2026.

    Notes: The number employed includes people who work in this occupation as their main job. People who work in more than one job are counted against the occupation they work the most hours in.

    Employment projections figures are rounded to the nearest 100. Calculations based on these rounded figures may result in differences to the numbers that are displayed on this page. Employment projections data (including occupations) can be downloaded from the Employment Projections page.

Projected Change
21.8%
(or 3,300 jobs)
From
15,300
in 2021
To
18,700
in 2026

Number of Workers

Source: ABS Labour Force Survey, ABS seasonally adjusted data to November 2021 and Jobs and Skills Australia Employment Projections to 2026.
Year Employment
2011 12,100
2012 11,600
2013 15,200
2014 9,100
2015 12,800
2016 15,800
2017 13,500
2018 15,400
2019 21,600
2020 17,500
2021 15,300
2026 18,700

Source: ABS Labour Force Survey, ABS seasonally adjusted data to November 2021 and Jobs and Skills Australia Employment Projections to 2026.


Earnings and hours

Working arrangements

  • Around 71% of people employed as Child Care Centre Managers work full-time hours, in all their jobs combined. This is 5 percentage points above the all jobs average (66%).

    Full-time workers work an average of 42 hours per week in their main job. This is similar to the all jobs average (44 hours per week).

    More than half of workers regularly work overtime or extra hours (either paid or unpaid).

    Median full-time earnings are $1,494 per week, this is lower than the all jobs median ($1,593):

    • 3 in 4 workers earn more than $1,342
    • 1 in 4 earn more than $1,575

    Median hourly earnings are $39, this is similar to the all jobs median ($41 per hour).

    Sources: Full-time share and full-time hours: ABS, 2016 Census, customised report. Compared to the all jobs average. Overtime hours: ABS, Characteristics of Employment, 2021. Full-time median earnings and median hourly earnings: ABS, Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours, May 2021. Compared to all jobs median.

Weekly Earnings (Before Tax)

Source: Based on ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours, May 2021, Customised Report. Median weekly total cash earnings for full-time non-managerial employees paid at the adult rate. Earnings are before tax and include amounts salary sacrificed. Earnings can vary greatly depending on the skills and experience of the worker and the demands of the role. These figures should be used as a guide only, not to determine a wage rate.
Earnings Child Care Centre Managers All Jobs Average
Full-Time Earnings 1,494 1,593
Total Earnings 0 0

Source: Based on ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours, May 2021, Customised Report. Median weekly total cash earnings for full-time non-managerial employees paid at the adult rate. Earnings are before tax and include amounts salary sacrificed. Earnings can vary greatly depending on the skills and experience of the worker and the demands of the role. These figures should be used as a guide only, not to determine a wage rate.


Industries

Main industries

1
Health Care and Social Assistance
79.3%
2
Education and Training
14.3%
3
Public Administration and Safety
2.1%
4
Other Services
2.1%
5
Other industries
2.1%

Regions

Employment across Australia

NSW

32.0% All occupations: 31.6%

VIC

22.4% All occupations: 25.6%

QLD

24.5% All occupations: 20.0%

SA

7.0% All occupations: 7.0%

WA

9.2% All occupations: 10.8%

TAS

1.4% All occupations: 2.0%

NT

1.4% All occupations: 1.0%

ACT

2.1% All occupations: 1.9%

Employment by State and Territory (% Share)

State Child Care Centre Managers All Jobs Average
NSW 32.0 31.6
VIC 22.4 25.6
QLD 24.5 20.0
SA 7.0 7.0
WA 9.2 10.8
TAS 1.4 2.0
NT 1.4 1.0
ACT 2.1 1.9


  • Around 61% of Child Care Centre Managers live in capital cities, similar to the all jobs average of 62%.

    Queensland has a large share of employment relative to its population size.

    The regions with the largest share of workers are:

    Source: Based on ABS Census 2016, Customised Report. Share of workers across Australian states, territories and regions, in this job compared to the all jobs average.


Worker profile

Age and gender

Age In Years
40
All Jobs Average is 40
Female Share
92%
All Jobs Average is 48%
  • The median age of Child Care Centre Managers is 40 years. This is the same as the all jobs average.

    A large share of workers are aged 35 to 44 years.

    Females make up 92% of the workforce. This is 44 percentage points above the all jobs average of 48%.

    Source: Based on ABS Census 2016, Customised Report. Age profile and gender share compared to the all jobs average.

Age Profile (% Share)

Source: Based on ABS Census 2016, Customised Report. Age profile of workers in this job compared to the all jobs average.
Age Bracket Child Care Centre Managers All Jobs Average
15-19 0.4 5.0
20-24 5.3 9.3
25-34 28.7 22.9
35-44 29.7 22.0
45-54 21.8 21.6
55-59 7.6 9.0
60-64 4.3 6.0
65 and Over 2.3 4.2
Median Age 40 40

Source: Based on ABS Census 2016, Customised Report. Age profile of workers in this job compared to the all jobs average.


Employment Pathways

Education, training and experience

A diploma in early childhood education and care is usually needed to work as a Child Care Centre Manager. Some workers have a university qualification.

Visit

  • Course Seeker to search and compare higher education courses.
  • ComparED to compare undergraduate and postgraduate student experiences and outcomes.
  • My Skills to compare Vocational Education and Training (VET) courses, providers and student outcomes.
  • AAPathways website to explore Community Services VET training pathways.

Highest Level of Education (% Share)

Source: ABS Census 2016, Customised Report. Highest qualification completed by workers in this job (in any field of study). Qualifications needed by new workers might be different from the qualifications of workers already in the job.
Type of Qualification Child Care Centre Managers All Jobs Average
Post Graduate/Graduate Diploma or Graduate Certificate 13.4 10.1
Bachelor degree 27.1 21.8
Advanced Diploma/Diploma 46.7 11.6
Certificate III/IV 6.3 21.1
Year 12 4.6 18.1
Year 11 0.6 4.8
Year 10 and below 1.4 12.5

Source: ABS Census 2016, Customised Report. Highest qualification completed by workers in this job (in any field of study). Qualifications needed by new workers might be different from the qualifications of workers already in the job.


Skills and Knowledge

Employers look for Child Care Managers who have strong interpersonal skills, are organised and reliable.

Skills

Skills can be improved through training or experience.

  • 59%

    Reading comprehension

    Reading work related information.

  • 57%

    Monitoring

    Keeping track of how well work is progressing so you can make changes or improvements.

  • 57%

    Management of personnel resources

    Motivating, developing, and directing people as they work, and choosing the best people for the job.

  • 55%

    Active listening

    Listening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions.

  • 55%

    Critical thinking

    Thinking about the pros and cons of different ways to solve a problem.

  • 55%

    Speaking

    Talking to others.

  • 55%

    Time management

    Managing your own and other peoples' time to get work done.

  • 55%

    Judgment and decision making

    Figuring out the pros and cons of different options and choosing the best one.

  • 54%

    Coordination with others

    Being adaptable and coordinating work with other people.

  • 54%

    Writing

    Writing things for co-workers or customers.

  • 54%

    Learning strategies

    Figuring out the best way to teach or learn something new.

  • 52%

    Social perceptiveness

    Understanding why people react the way they do.

  • 52%

    Active learning

    Being able to use what you have learnt to solve problems now and again in the future.

  • 50%

    Instructing

    Teaching people how to do something.

  • 50%

    Negotiation

    Bringing people together and trying to sort out their differences.

  • 50%

    Serving others

    Looking for ways to help people.

  • 48%

    Systems evaluation

    Measuring how well a system is working and how to improve it.

  • 46%

    Persuasion

    Talking people into changing their minds or their behaviour.

  • 45%

    Systems analysis

    Figuring out how a system should work and how changes in conditions, operations, and the environment will affect it.

  • 43%

    Complex problem solving

    Noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it.


Knowledge

These are important topics, subjects or knowledge areas.

  • 77%

    Education and training

    Curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.

  • 75%

    Customer and personal service

    Understanding customer needs, providing good quality service, and measuring customer satisfaction.

  • 66%

    Clerical

    Word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and other office work.

  • 63%

    Personnel and human resources

    Recruiting and training people, managing pay and other entitlements (like sick leave), and negotiating pay and conditions.

  • 62%

    Administration and management

    Business principles involved in strategic planning, leadership, and coordinating people and resources.

  • 56%

    Psychology

    Human behaviour; differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; research methods; assessing and treating disorders.

  • 55%

    English language

    English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.

  • 53%

    Philosophy and theology

    Philosophical systems and religions, including their basic principles, values, ethics, ways of thinking, customs, practices, and impact on society.

  • 52%

    Therapy and counselling

    Diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of physical and mental dysfunctions, and career counselling and guidance.

  • 50%

    Sociology and anthropology

    Group behaviour and dynamics, societal trends and influences, human migrations, ethnicity, cultures and their history and origins.

  • 49%

    Mathematics

    Arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, or statistics.

  • 46%

    Computers and electronics

    Circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.

  • 42%

    Economics and accounting

    Economics and accounting, the financial markets, banking and checking and reporting of financial data.

  • 39%

    Geography

    Describing land, sea, and air, including their physical characteristics, locations, how they work together, and the location of plant, animal, and human life.

  • 37%

    Public safety and security

    Use of equipment, rules and ideas to protect people, data, property, and institutions.

  • 37%

    Communications and media

    Media production, communication, and dissemination. Includes written, spoken, and visual media.

  • 35%

    Law and government

    How our laws and courts work. Government rules and regulations, and the political system.

  • 30%

    Sales and marketing

    Showing, promoting, and selling including marketing strategy, product demonstration, sales techniques, and sales control systems.

  • 25%

    Medicine and dentistry

    Diagnose and treat human injuries, diseases, and deformities, including preventive health-care measures.

  • 12%

    Food production

    Planting, growing, and harvesting food (both plant and animal), including storage and handling.


Abilities

Workers use these physical and mental abilities..

  • 63%

    Oral expression

    Communicate by speaking.

  • 59%

    Oral comprehension

    Listen to and understand what people say.

  • 59%

    Written comprehension

    Read and understand written information.

  • 57%

    Written expression

    Write in a way that people can understand.

  • 54%

    Problem spotting

    Notice when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong, even if you can't solve the problem.

  • 52%

    Deductive reasoning

    Use general rules to find answers or solve problems logically.

  • 52%

    Inductive reasoning

    Use lots of detailed information to come up with answers or make general rules.

  • 50%

    Originality

    Come up with unusual or clever ideas, or creative ways to solve a problem.

  • 48%

    Speech clarity

    Speak clearly so others can understand you.

  • 48%

    Speech recognition

    Identify and understand the speech of another person.

  • 48%

    Near vision

    See details that are up-close (within a few feet).

  • 48%

    Sorting or ordering

    Order or arrange things in a pattern or sequence (e.g., numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).

  • 48%

    Brainstorming

    Come up with a number of ideas about a topic, even if the ideas aren't very good.

  • 45%

    Categorising

    Come up with different ways of grouping things.

  • 43%

    Selective attention

    Pay attention to something without being distracted.

  • 41%

    Memorization

    Remember things like words, numbers, pictures, and procedures.

  • 39%

    Mathematics

    Choose the right maths method or formula to solve a problem.

  • 39%

    Multitasking

    Do two or more things at the same time.

  • 39%

    Speed of recognition

    Quickly make sense of and organize things you can see like letters, numbers, pictures, or other things.

  • 37%

    Flexibility of closure

    See a pattern (a figure, object, word, or sound) hidden in other distracting material.


Activities

These are kinds of activities workers regularly do in this job.

  • 76%

    Building good relationships

    Building good working relationships and keeping them over time.

  • 72%

    Making decisions and solving problems

    Using information to work out the best solution and solve problems.

  • 71%

    Planning and prioritising work

    Deciding on goals and putting together a detailed plan to get the work done.

  • 69%

    Working with the public

    Greeting or serving customers, clients or guests, and public speaking or performing.

  • 64%

    Negotiating and resolving conflicts

    Handling complaints and disagreements, and negotiating with people.

  • 60%

    Providing office support

    Doing day-to-day office work such as filing and processing paperwork.

  • 59%

    Helping and caring for others

    Providing personal assistance, medical attention, or emotional support.

  • 58%

    Communicating within a team

    Giving information to co-workers by telephone, in writing, or in person.

  • 56%

    Coaching and developing others

    Working out the needs of others and coaching, mentoring, or helping them to improve.

  • 54%

    Scheduling work and activities

    Working out the timing of events, programs, and activities, as well as the work of others.

  • 53%

    Collecting and organising information

    Compiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or checking information or data.

  • 51%

    Coordinating the work of a team

    Getting members of a group to work together to finish a task.

  • 50%

    Researching and investigating

    Looking for, getting and understanding different kinds of information.

  • 50%

    Hiring and organising staff

    Recruiting, interviewing, selecting, hiring, and promoting employees.

  • 49%

    Guiding and directing staff

    Guiding and directing staff, including setting and monitoring performance standards.

  • 48%

    Checking compliance with standards

    Deciding whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.

  • 48%

    Training and teaching others

    Understanding the needs of others, developing training programs, and teaching or instructing.

  • 45%

    Assessing and evaluating things

    Working out the value, importance, or quality of things, services or people.

  • 43%

    Documenting or recording information

    Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.

  • 40%

    Working with computers

    Using computers to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.


Interests and demands

Learn about the daily activities, and physical and social demands faced by workers. Explore the values and work styles that workers rate as most important.

Interests

Interests are the style or type of work we prefer to do. All interest areas are shown below.

  • 86%

    Enterprising

    Starting up and carrying out projects. Leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes require risk taking and often deal with business.

  • 86%

    Helping

    Working with people. Helping or providing service to others.

  • 57%

    Administrative

    Following set procedures and routines. Working with numbers and details more than with ideas, usually following rules.

  • 38%

    Creative

    Working with forms, designs and patterns. Often need self-expression and can be done without following rules.

  • 24%

    Analytical

    Ideas and thinking. Searching for facts and figuring out problems in your head.

  • 14%

    Practical

    Practical, hands-on work. Often with plants and animals, or materials like wood, tools, and machinery.


Values

Work values are important to a person’s feeling of satisfaction. All six values are shown below.
  • 95%

    Relationships

    Serve and work with others. Workers usually get along well with each other, do things to help other people, and are rarely pressured to do things that go against their sense of right and wrong.

  • 81%

    Achievement

    Results oriented. Workers are able to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment.

  • 81%

    Independence

    Work alone and make decisions. Workers are able to try out their own ideas, make decisions on their own, and work with little or no supervision.

  • 67%

    Recognition

    Advancement and the potential to lead. Workers are recognised for the work that they do, they may give directions and instructions to others, and they are looked up to in their company and their community.

  • 67%

    Working conditions

    Job security and good working conditions. There is usually a steady flow of interesting work, and the pay and conditions are generally good.

  • 43%

    Support

    Supportive management that stands behind employees. Workers are treated fairly by their company, they are supported by management, and have supervisors who train them well.


Demands

The physical and social demands that workers face most often are shown below:
  • 100%

    Telephone

    Talk on the telephone.

  • 99%

    Face-to-face discussions

    Talk with people face-to-face.

  • 97%

    Frequent decision making

    Frequently make decisions that impact other people.

  • 97%

    Impact of decisions

    Make decisions that have a large impact on other people.

  • 96%

    Teamwork

    Work with people in a group or team.

  • 96%

    Unstructured work

    Have freedom to decide on tasks, priorities, and goals.

  • 95%

    Freedom to make decisions

    Have freedom to make decision on your own.

  • 95%

    Contact with people

    Have contact with people by telephone, face-to-face, or any other way.

  • 93%

    Letters and memos

    Write letters and memos.

  • 90%

    Health and safety of others

    Take responsibility for the health and safety of others.

  • 87%

    Lead or coordinate a team

    Lead others to do work activities.

  • 85%

    Responsible for outcomes

    Take responsibility for the results of other people's work.

  • 79%

    Conflict situations

    Deal with conflict or disagreements.

  • 78%

    Contact with the public

    Work with customers or the public.

  • 78%

    Electronic mail

    Use electronic mail.

  • 76%

    Indoors, heat controlled

    Work indoors with access to heating or cooling.

  • 73%

    Physically close to people

    Work physically close to other people.

  • 69%

    Being exact or accurate

    Be very exact or highly accurate.

  • 68%

    Disease or infection

    Be exposed to disease or infections.

  • 67%

    Repeating same tasks

    Repeat the same tasks or activities (e.g., key entry) over and over, without stopping.

Occupational Information Network
O*NET is a trademark of the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration.
The skills and importance ratings on this page are derived from the US Department of Labor O*NET Database Version 21.2, 11-9031.00 - Education Administrators, Preschool and Childcare Center/Program.


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