Every November, the National Career Development Association (NCDA) in the United States marks National Career Development Month. It’s a time to raise awareness of career planning and lifelong learning, and although it’s an American initiative, many UK and international companies use the month to promote their own career development paths.  

 For nursery owners, managers, and practitioners, the month offers the perfect opportunity to reflect on how we support staff at every stage of their career journey, not just when they’re starting out. Career development is a lifelong investment in people, and that leads to quality childcare. 

Why career development matters in early years 

Career progression can be a challenge in early education, where roles can be stressful and day-to-day demands on staff are high. Yet, without opportunities to grow, even the most passionate practitioners can lose motivation or move on. Recruiting staff is time-consuming and costly and replacing qualified and experienced professionals is not easy.  

 Properly supporting staff to continue learning, stretch themselves and progress, not only benefits their own confidence, but also improves outcomes for children because motivated practitioners bring new ideas, reflective practice, and greater enthusiasm into the setting. And a low staff turnover rate means you keep consistency high for your children. So why not use this month to look at ways you can improve your staff development processes? It doesn’t matter if you are a large multinational franchise or a small independent, looking after your staff will benefit your business.  

National Career Development Month is an ideal time to ask yourself: 

• How do we recruit the best people and facilitate their learning? 
• How do we nurture continued professional development (CPD) in our setting? 
• What could we do better to help staff plan, and accommodate their next steps? 

Here are some ideas to help you structure a review.  

1.Review and refresh your training pathways

Start by taking stock of what you already have in place. Do you have a clear career development framework that maps out potential routes from apprentice to senior practitioner or manager?   

• Update training plans: Review your setting’s annual training calendar to ensure it includes a mix of mandatory (e.g. safeguarding, paediatric first aid) and developmental courses (e.g. SEND, leadership, outdoor learning) 
• Encourage staff to create a personal CPD log: Ask each team member to record training, workshops, and webinars completed throughout the year. Even short courses or online micro-learning can reignite enthusiasm and show staff that development is valued 
• Schedule one-to-one reviews: Use November as a prompt for professional discussions. Ask staff what they’d like to learn next and how you can help them achieve it 

 2.Develop your workforce through apprenticeships and internal progression 

Apprenticeships are one of the most effective ways to attract and retain people in the early years sector. They offer new entrants a pathway into childcare while giving settings the chance to shape staff skills from the ground up. 

• Promote apprenticeships locally by contacting nearby schools, colleges, and job centres or by contacting Parenta’s recruitment arm to advertise your opportunities 
• Set up a mentoring programme and pair apprentices or new recruits with experienced practitioners who can provide daily guidance and encouragement 
• Map out what happens after the apprenticeship, for example, could a Level 2 learner move to Level 3, or a Level 3 to Level 5? 

Remember that apprenticeships are not just for school leavers coming into the profession. There are apprenticeships at Level 5 and for those wishing to qualify as an Early Years Teacher. So research the different options that may be available.  

 3.Encourage more men into the sector

Only around 3% of early years staff in the UK are male - a figure that has changed little over the past decade. National Career Development Month is an opportunity to challenge stereotypes and promote the message that working with young children is a career for everyone.  

• Highlight male role models in your own setting on your website or social media 
• Run a “Men in Childcare” open day or feature stories from male practitioners in your newsletters 
• Partner with local schools or community groups to speak about early years careers to teenage boys and careers advisers 

Children benefit greatly from seeing both men and women in caring, educational roles, so making this visible can help promote diversity and attract people from a wider talent pool. 

 4.Offer flexibility andpromote a good work-life balance 

One of the key reasons that people leave their jobs is the struggle to balance demanding work with other family or study commitments. Use this month to explore creative ways of offering flexibility to your staff, such as: 

• Flexible scheduling including term-time contracts, four-day weeks, or job shares 
• Support for external CPD and study by allowing time off or offering funding to help staff gain additional relevant qualifications 
• Introduce wellbeing initiatives that promote mental health awareness or offer access to counselling schemes. You could also consider staff appreciation days or social events  

Being flexible as a manager may seem difficult at first, especially when you have rotas to fill and ratios to meet. But flexibility helps retain experienced practitioners who might otherwise leave the sector due to burnout or other personal reasons. Talk to your staff to find out what would suit them. You may find that when one person wants to reduce their hours, another may be just as grateful to increase their own.  

Flexible working also makes a career change to early years more attractive to newcomers, especially parents returning to work and career changers looking for more meaningful roles.

5. Celebrateyour staff’s success

It’s important to celebrate your staff’s successes. But do you celebrate in a way that they engage with and look forward to? Have you asked them what they want or how they’d like to be recognised? Many businesses may create a token ‘Employee of the month’ or similar title, but if the tin of biscuits or box of Quality Street you give them as a reward is met with derision behind your back, you haven’t motivated or empowered your team. That’s not to say that small gestures are not appreciated; they often are. But take the time to talk to your staff and ask them what would really motivate them – it may not be what you think! 

Career development isn’t a one-month project but an ongoing journey. The best settings make it part of their everyday conversations so they can nurture all generations of early years professionals, as much as the children they look after.