Nursery World - Old enough to know the job better

The Government and media coverage have led us to believe that there is a gross shortage of qualified childcare workers. However, holding an NNEB and having worked with children for about 25 years, I can only conclude that ageism is rife in the employment market. It is not as though my qualification is outdated, because I only qualified in 1998, although I did take a Pre-School Playgroup Association (now the Pre-school Learning Alliance) qualification back in the 1970s. I do not lack experience of working with children - I have done this on a voluntary basis as well as in paid employment. Plus I have had two sons of my own.

It is not as though my qualification is outdated, because I only qualified in 1998, although I did take a Pre-School Playgroup Association (now the Pre-school Learning Alliance) qualification back in the 1970s. I do not lack experience of working with children - I have done this on a voluntary basis as well as in paid employment. Plus I have had two sons of my own.

I feel I still have a lot to offer. I have several years to go before I reach retirement age, but the only position I have secured recently is in a private nursery school, working 15 hours a week for the minimum wage.

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