The Early Childhood Education and Care Workforce in Australia: Exploring Distinctions Between Degree-Qualified Teachers and Diploma-Qualified Educators From Employer Perspectives

Early childhood teacher (ECT) shortages in Australia have prompted a government, employer, and higher education focus on upskilling pathways for diploma-qualified educators. Distinctions between ECT and diploma-qualified educator roles—and what each is expected to know and do—are, however, unclear. This paper reports on the first stage of a doctoral study investigating the efficacy of upskilling to build the supply and quality of Australia’s ECT workforce. Thematic analysis of employer interviews (n = four) and industrial documents (n = eight)—including awards, enterprise agreements, and job descriptions—revealed distinct expectations of ECTs in professional knowledge, leadership, and responsibilities with families and communities. Employers noted that in practice, these distinctions vary with context, graduate preparedness, and ECTs’ professional growth. Findings also revealed ambiguity and a discourse of equivalence that positions ECTs and diploma-qualified educators as interchangeable, risking devaluation of the ECT role. Implications for policy and service providers are discussed.