The below blog has been written by Steve Watts, Area Manager for Busy Bees Australia
“Working hard for something we don’t care about is called stress. Working hard for something we love is called passion” – Simon Sinek
At Busy Bees, our mission is to give all children the best start in life. We know that we couldn’t achieve this without the hard work and dedication of a world-class team of Educators, Teaching Practitioners and Early Learning professionals.
We recognise that our Teams are integral to the strong relationships we form with children, Families, and our local communities. For this reason, we nurture the growth of our employees through training, mentoring, coaching, online modules and professional development to be the best they can be. By investing in our people, we create opportunities for those who want to grow their career in a specific direction, or for those who have goals to perform a different role within either the Service or company.
In our Hive, there are numerous members of our Service Management Teams who began in a Certificate III or Diploma role, and through professional development have been promoted to a Leadership position. Through working closely with their Services, the Busy Bees Operations Team and Quality Education and Compliance Team, Educators have grown their leadership capabilities allowing them to progress their career in the direction of their choosing. At Busy Bees, we have Service Managers, 2ICs, Educational Leaders, members of the Quality and Education Team, and even our corporate team at NSC, who have begun their careers working directly with children in our Services, meaning they understand you as an Educator.
At Busy Bees, all Educators and their development are a focus and each Educator’s development needs are individually assessed. Those aspiring to join the Sector, as Trainees in either Certificate III or Diploma studies, are welcomed and supported through their professional journey. Educators within the Service coach daily, through professional discussion and role-modelling, to ensure those studying receive all the benefits of working whilst studying their qualification. Pre-Service Early Childhood Teachers are supported while completing their Bachelors, to allow them to begin their career while completing their course requirements.
Being a part of our Busy Bees family means being connected to a global network, with opportunities not just here in Australia but worldwide. Busy Bees is a global company with a network that spans through the UK, Asia, Australia, Canada and the United States. In our network there are many opportunities for professional connections, such as the Busy Bees Talent Exchange Program (TEP) which allows successful applicants from all over the Busy Bees global network to take part in a secondment within a Busy Bees Service in a different host country. Last year, Busy Bees Australia hosted TEP with a 4 week program where Educators from Asia, Canada, and the UK worked within our Services with a specific project to undertake.
Here in Australia, we utilise our network in a similar way, providing opportunities to transfer and make connections across all States and Territories. Educators have had the opportunity to transfer between Services, both within their local areas or interstate, while our Community Connections program brings teams together from across Australia to collaborate and share best practice.
Community Connections currently exists for our Educational Leaders, Chefs and Male Advocacy Groups. These Educational networks allow for like-minded Team Members who are passionate and dedicated to children and the Sector, to collaborate and learn from each other to improve practices and implement change.
At Busy Bees, we work hard to allow opportunities for our Teams to develop in their chosen interests, whether it be in our Services, National Support Centre, Pedagogical Leadership or Management roles. This work allows individuals to thrive, using their current knowledge, passions and dreams to grow and reach their full potential.
