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The article highlighted the growing importance of early childhood educators attending courses to upskill, noting that enrolment in NIEC’s in-service courses doubled from 2,400 in 2019 to 6,200 in 2023. Additionally, there has been a 20% increase in the intake for its Advanced Certificate in Early Years course in early 2024. 

Christine St Knight, a preschool educator working with children under the age of 3 at PCF Sparkletots and a graduate of NIEC’s ACEY course, along with Annie Lim, a Learning Support Educator at PCF Sparkletots currently enrolled in NIEC’s SDELS course, were featured too. They shared their experiences of taking NIEC courses and how these have positively influenced their roles in their respective preschools. Additionally, Kurtrina Foo, principal at ACE @ Work Childcare and a graduate of NIEC’s ADECL course, provided her insights on the importance of communication between centre leaders and educators. She highlighted the need for leaders to understand teachers’ roles and aspirations to guide them towards professional development courses aligned with their interests, while also ensuring that centre operations remain manageable when staff members attend these courses.