The owner of a new childcare centre expected to open in Dubbo within a year is confident about finding staff to operate the facility amid a teaching shortage in the central west.
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When asked if he thought he would need to look outside Dubbo to staff the new Eden Academy centre, Sean Collins, Co-owner of the business - which operates 22 childcare centres across the eastern states and South Australia - said he didn't think it would be necessary because of the unique working culture on offer.
"We give five weeks of holiday a year, we pay several dollars above the award, we do annual retention bonuses for every year our staff stay with us, we have a policy of promoting within - there's always opportunity for growth within our organisation," Mr Collins told the Daily Liberal.
![Eden Academy co-owner Sean Collins (left) is confident about staffing a new childcare centre in Dubbo within the year. He is pictured with co-owner Chris Sacre. Pictures supplied Eden Academy co-owner Sean Collins (left) is confident about staffing a new childcare centre in Dubbo within the year. He is pictured with co-owner Chris Sacre. Pictures supplied](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/QQwHRnUv9qYdvjDNLdqaup/cac86de2-ae73-4a7a-81bb-8b6906c97429.png/r95_0_739_362_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
He said Dubbo Eden Academy staff would be driven or flown to the organisation's Christmas in July festivities, would enjoy Christmas bonuses, and would see himself and fellow Co-owner Chris Sacre, who are based in Melbourne and the Gold Coast respectively, "on a regular basis".
"We have several things to offer that certainly separates us from the rest. We are talking about a sector with a 30 per cent turnover rate ... but our organisation sits at seven per cent and you can't do that unless you build a good culture," Mr Collins said.
The Eden Academy claims to offer an holistic education approach with a focus on mindfulness.
Mr Collins said there was "an opportunity" to open one of these "different style centres" in Dubbo, and when asked if there was anything else like this in the region, he said "not that we were aware of".
"We focus on a model of home away from home. It's a child's first steps out of home and we don't like to think they're going to an institutional centre. Our centres are quite homely, whether it's the ambience, the bedroom feel, the coffee [for parents] on your way in - we want them to feel like they're coming into a home, and to be honest it's worked well for us to date," he said.
Dubbo Regional Council has approved development of the new childcare facility on Myall Street.
The Eden Academy Dubbo will provide care and education for up to 138 children per day aged from six weeks to five years from 7am to 6pm, Monday to Friday.
Children will be divided into varying classrooms based on their age and development, and each individual classroom will have a "predictable but flexible" routine based on the children's needs, interests and development.
The childcare centre will consist of three full-time staff members and 22 to 23 part-time staff members including management, educators and a cook.
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Mr Collins said the centre would likely be open some time in mid-2024 and parents and guardians would be given "plenty of opportunity" to register their interest closer to the time.
He said, in the meantime, "we'd really love to hear from potential staff that might like to work for a family-run business with plenty of growth opportunities and be part of a culture that we have really grown across the country to date".
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