How We Attract and Reward the Best Educators at Reggio Emilia

High-quality education starts with extraordinary educators. At Reggio Emilia, we hire only the most dedicated individuals, committed to providing next-level care and inspiring lifelong learning. We provide a huge variety of incentives — part of what we refer to as our Evolve program — to attract and reward our team and demonstrate how valuable they are to our mission. 

Whether it’s through better work-life balance, travel benefits or professional development opportunities, our goal is to facilitate a supportive and dynamic work environment where all our educators can shine. 

Educational Philosophy and the Role of Educators 

Educators are at the heart of everything we do at Reggio Emilia. They work collaboratively on projects with the children to co-construct an engaging and meaningful curriculum. They do this by carrying out research, exploring the world and nurturing collaborative relationships together. For this to happen, our educators need to be passionate and driven with a desire to shape the bright minds of tomorrow.

Our childcare centres are notably different to your typical childcare. We look for educators who understand that every child is capable of expressing themselves in numerous ways, which supports our ‘100 Different Languages’ philosophy. Whether through painting or play, our educators are responsible for supporting and nurturing the children through their individual learning journeys, documenting this every step of the way. 

The Life Balance Wheel 

A career at Reggio Emilia Early Learning Centres is more than just a job — it’s a lifestyle! We use the life balance wheel as a guide for keeping our employees happy and satisfied in their work. The wheel is split into six segments, each equally as important as the last. Let’s break it down by each segment.

• Work Life

At Reggio Emilia, we strive to make your work life as exciting and memorable as possible. No two days are the same, and we take great pride in providing a workplace that you’ll love returning to each day. 

• Career Satisfaction

Continual career development and training are a focus for every employee. This involves — but is not limited to — leadership courses and safety training. 

• Fun and Recreation

Who said your career has to be all work and no play? At Reggio Emilia, we go above and beyond to ensure you maximise your downtime. This means outings and parties with the team every four months as well as travel money and extra leave so your holidays are as blissful as they can be! 

• Financial Stability

Having financial stability is essential to a balanced work life. To assist with this, we offer a wage that is a minimum of 10% above award rates for our employees, an additional $3000 towards your HECS fund each year you’re with us and a referral incentive plan.

• Health and Well-Being

At Reggio Emilia your health is important. We provide two counselling sessions and a mental health seminar each year along with a gym membership, day spa, healthy daily meals and much more. 

• Home Life 

We want your home life and family time to be just as memorable as your time at work. To assist with this we provide extra leave and budget for holidays and outings with your family.

Professional Development Opportunities and Hiring 

At Reggio Emilia, we understand that learning doesn’t stop with a certificate. For this reason, we provide ongoing training and development so that our employees can feel fulfilled in their roles and equipped with the skills to be inspiring leaders. 

We also support educators at any stage of their career, including trainees, who can choose to study towards their Certificate III while they work. As we recognise in the Reggio Emilia approach, there’s always a lesson to be found in our environment, or the ‘Third Educator’, and great value in getting hands-on, practical learning. 

Rewards and Incentives For Our Employees

As touched on previously with the life balance wheel, there are a variety of rewards and incentives we provide at Reggio Emilia to ensure our educators get the most out of their experience with us. We’ve split these out based on the employee’s role below. 

Rewards for all employees

• Two counselling sessions and one mental health seminar per year
• Fully funded gym membership 
• Healthy breakfast, lunch and afternoon snack 
• Outings with the team every four months
• $500 referral incentive for a diploma-qualified friend and $1000 for an ECT-qualified friend once they’ve completed their probation
• 50% off childcare fees when you enrol your child at Reggio Emilia 

Additional Rewards for Early Childhood Teachers 

• $3000 directly into your HECS fund each year 
• A minimum of 10% above award rates 
• A minimum of two fully-funded professional development courses of your choice per year

Additional Rewards for Room Leaders and 2ICs

• Two leadership courses, chosen by the company each year
• Up to $500 budget to spend any way you like on room resources 
• Up to two childcare-related courses each year 
• A day spa experience
• A movie ticket package for two 
• A day outing with the family or concert tickets 
• Seasonal fruit and veg box delivery for one week’s meals once a year 
• Paid accommodation anywhere for two nights, valued up to $800 

Additional Rewards for Centre Managers

• An extra week of annual leave per year of service
• $1500 travel allowance per year 

Please note, that all incentives take effect after a six-month probation period and are subject to achieving respective KPIs.

As we’ve just explored, there’s a lot to love about being an educator at Reggio Emilia Early Learning Centres. We are focused on creating a warm and welcoming work environment where your needs and well-being are valued. To find out more about how you can kickstart a dream career with us, check out our careers and current openings page, reach out to us on 02 9891 2222 or contact us via email at mail@reggioemilia.com.au.