Becoming university qualified early childhood teachers: studying with structured mentoring

University students studying to attain an early childhood teaching degree frequently face a triad of competing demands – study, work and personal – that affect their capacity to maintain studies to successfully complete their qualification. In the Australian government’s ten-year early childhood workforce strategy, mentoring was identified as a priority area. Mentoring during university studies boosts professional confidence in becoming a qualified teacher. In this study, framed through a Community of Practice, 56 mentees, 13 mentors, three academic mentors and four First Nations’ cultural advisors, engaged in a 26-week mentoring program. Findings indicate that mentoring from the beginning of university studies can ameliorate the triad of demands. However, a realistic consideration of the time available in relation to these factors is essential. This study offers evidence for funding mentoring programs to enable engagement in university studies and potentially boost the early childhood workforce, with implications for employers, universities and government.