News

Danielle Butters is passionate about educating people whether they are 3 or 33.

The ambitious 20-year-old has been working in the childcare sector since she was 15 and wants to one day help "educate the educators", as well as lay the building blocks of learning for young children.

Danielle is already a centre director at the Kidz Rock Educational Centre at Morayfield, where she is following in the footsteps of her mum, Karen, who built the centre and has two decades of experience in childcare.

At the start of 2012, Danielle decided to develop her own skills and qualifications further by enrolling in QUT's early childhood education course when it was introduced at the university's Caboolture campus.

"Education and childcare is my life," she said.

"The outcomes you get from seeing the children grow and learn are amazing, and I love knowing that we are laying the foundations and that our impact will stay with them and influence their life and education.

"I'm also passionate about improving professional standards so my ultimate goal is to be able to educate other educators."

Danielle said she chose QUT to do her degree because of positive word of mouth, and the obvious location advantage.

"We have a teacher here at our centre who studied at QUT and is two years out - she's an excellent teacher so I knew where I would go," she said.

Kristy Laubscher, who works at the Kidz Cubby Educational Centre next door to Kidz Rock, is also studying early childhood education at QUT Caboolture this year.

QUT's early childhood course convenor, Dr Susan Irvine, said the degree attracted a mix of students, including students straight out of school, TAFE graduates, and educators currently working in early childhood education and care services in the local area.

She said changes being introduced through the National Early Childhood Reform Agenda meant demand was increasing for well qualified early childhood professionals.

"The reforms are making positive changes so that children across Australia can get the best possible start to their education during those crucial early years," she said.

"They include some increased qualification requirements, and teachers delivering approved kindergarten programs at childcare centres and sessional kindergartens now need to have a four-year early childhood degree. From 2014, childcare centres and family day care schemes will also need to engage an educational leader to oversee their educational program."

QUT's Bachelor of Education (Early Childhood) prepares students to work in all early childhood settings, including childcare centres, family day care, kindergartens, prep and the early years of primary school.

Visit www.qut.edu.au/study/courses/bachelor-of-education-early-childhood.

Media contact: Mechelle McMahon, QUT media officer, 07 31398 9449 (Mon-Tues) of media@qut.edu.au (Mon-Fri)