Did you know 40,000 more nursery workers are needed in the UK by September 2025! That's right, the UK government are providing more free childcare hours to parents/carers and so more Nursery Staff are needed! Childcare can be a fun and rewarding career. Get your training at a nursery, learn about the development of children from 0-5 years and apply your training at work! There are entry level jobs available with no experience required and Apprenticeships and Work Experience opportunities.
Think BIG, work with small children.
Why work in childcare?
- Lots of jobs
- Local jobs, short commute from your home
- Fully funded training, get your NVQ Level 3 in Early Careers
- Enjoyable and rewarding career
- You may not need GCSEs to get your first job in childcare, you can complete your functional skills in Maths as part of your training.
- Childcare can be a rewarding career for all! There is an interest to increase the number of men entering this industry, so please apply if you are male, female or non-binary.
- It's a career you can develop in. Here are some examples of how a Nursery Assistant can develop...
- Nursery Management, responsible for managing the nursery, liaising with Parents/Carers, growing the nursery, ensuring standards are met
- Self-Employed Child Minder
- Nanny (live in or live out)
- Kids Camp Worker (live in our out, in the UK or internationally)
- Special Education Needs Assistant/Teacher
- Primary School Teacher
- Child Psychologist
- A Play Therapist (help children heal and explore trauma through play)
- Pediatric Nurse
- Social Media Influencer on Early Childhood Development
About the Job
JOB DESCRIPTION - NURSERY ASSISTANT (Also called EARLY YEARS PRACTITIONER and NURSERY PRACTITIONER)
You will work as part of the nursery team to help educate and care for the children who attend.
This may involve:
- running fun activities that help children learn and develop
- helping children feel settled
- keeping the nursery clean and safe
- supporting the long-term progress of children to set them up for school
- being a key person for specific children
What you need:
- Reliability, willingness to turn up on time consistently
- Good understanding of the English language
- Passion and enthusiasm, love for small children
- Energy to work with small children and create a fun and safe environment
- Willingness to nurture and make sure young people have fun and feel safe
- Can follow procedures and ensure child safety
- Willingness to complete the training in Early Years Education
There is a new website to search for jobs in childcare in the UK.
On this site, you will also find lots of FREE ONLINE TRAINING courses in Early Years Education. It is recommended that you complete some of this training so you can build your CV and demonstrate to an employer that you are serious about working with small children. Check out the FREE TRAINING COURSES by clicking the apply button, then use the same site to search for jobs in your area!
Remember, if you are experiencing homelessness or are at risk of homelessness or unemployment, you may be eligible for support from a Job, Education & Training Advisor at Centrepoint who can help you with your application for Early Career jobs - email jetreferral@centrepoint.org to get support.
GOOD LUCK!