Why work at Goodstart

Why work for us?

• Supporting you in making a difference

  We believe every person should feel supported to be the best they can be. We’ve listened to what our people need, and we’ve worked with them to implement even more benefits and better conditions. Above-award wages, increased non-contact time, and flexible work arrangements are just some of the ways we recognise and support our people. 

• Working conditions with you in mind

  Some of the ways we support our people to develop a healthy work-life balance include:

  • Flexible shift options
  • Part-time and casual roles
  • Secondments to other centres and roles
  • Breastfeeding-at-work policy to support new mums returning to work
  • Two dedicated wellbeing days included in your personal leave each year
  • Opportunities to work from home

  Just ask Tammy, a Teacher from WA: “Goodstart has always accommodated my family’s needs. When my children were little, I was able to work split shifts. And if I ever need a day off, it’s not an issue. I know Goodstart considers my health and wellbeing as important as the children’s."

  We also offer a generous and competitive remuneration schedule that recognises the work you put in to develop your expertise:

  • Educators receive a wage that is 5% above the award wage
  • Teachers receive a wage on par with state primary schools across Australia
  • Centre Directors receive a wage that is at least 10% above the award rate

• Providing you security and support

  At Goodstart, we look after our people with:

  • Above-award wages
  • 4 weeks paid parental leave (increasing to 6 weeks from December 2023)
  • Work-life balance and flexible working options
  • Annual uniform allowance
  • Generous childcare discounts up to 50% 
  • Two personal wellbeing days included in your personal leave 

• A safe and welcoming environment

  We are an equal opportunity employer, and we’re proud of our inclusive and diverse work environment. We want you to be comfortable being yourself, so we support individual growth and strong teams made up of many different cultures and backgrounds.

  Every team member, family and child is welcome at Goodstart. Here are some of the ways we’re creating inclusive and welcoming environments:

  • Our ongoing commitment to our Goodstart Reconciliation Action Plan, embedding inclusive practices into our centres to support children and families to participate in quality early learning
  • Specialist training and support for centre teams to help them welcome more families and provide the extra assistance they need

  To keep our people safe and well, we offer:

  • Wellbeing program support
  • Sector-leading safety policies and procedures
  • Free 24/7 independent counselling
  • Support from our dedicated national safety team
  • Safety resources and rapid distribution of protective equipment

• Personal development and career opportunities

  We offer professional development opportunities throughout the year, keeping you up to date with leading-edge early learning practices. We also provide training to help you put inclusive practices into place, so you can support more children from diverse backgrounds or with additional needs. And because we have over 650 centres across Australia, there are plenty of chances to advance your career to the next stage if you choose.

  As an early learning professional, you’ll benefit from a national network of expertise led by our Head of Pedagogy and Practice. Our dedicated interactive online learning hub provides focused learning opportunities, empowering you to upskill and set new benchmarks in early learning practices.

  We’re here to help you grow your career.

  You will have access to:

  • Our Thrive program, which supports hundreds of educators to study towards their Bachelor degrees
  • Certificate and Diploma qualifications in Early Childhood Education and Care through our partnerships with Registered Training Organisations
  • Access to live webinars and on demand professional development through our interactive learning hub
  • Our graduate Teacher program, offering mentorship, university partnerships, and registration and accreditations