Most commonly reported Work Activities

•   Thinking Creatively Developing, designing, or creating new applications, ideas, relationships, systems, or products, including artistic contributions.
•   Organising, Planning, and Prioritising Work Developing specific goals and plans to prioritise, organise, and accomplish your work.
•   Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
•   Developing Objectives and Strategies Establishing long-range objectives and specifying the strategies and actions to achieve them.
•   Making Decisions and Solving Problems Analysing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
•   Training and Teaching Others Identifying the educational needs of others, developing formal educational or training programs or classes, and teaching or instructing others.
•   Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.
•   Getting Information Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
•   Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
•   Assisting and Caring for Others Providing personal assistance, medical attention, emotional support, or other personal care to others such as coworkers, customers, or patients.

Most commonly reported Work Tasks

• Establish and enforce rules for behavior and policies and procedures to maintain order among students.
• Prepare children for later grades by encouraging them to explore learning opportunities and to persevere with challenging tasks.
• Instruct students individually and in groups, adapting teaching methods to meet students' varying needs and interests.
• Teach basic skills, such as color, shape, number and letter recognition, personal hygiene, and social skills.
• Demonstrate activities to children.
• Read books to entire classes or to small groups.
• Guide and counsel students with adjustment or academic problems or special academic interests.
• Observe and evaluate children's performance, behavior, social development, and physical health.
• Provide a variety of materials and resources for children to explore, manipulate, and use, both in learning activities and in imaginative play.
• Prepare and implement remedial programmes for students requiring extra help.

Further Information

• Nursery Manager- from: N.C.S. [UK]
• Nursery or Primary School Teacher - Scotland- from: N.C.S. [UK]
• Nursery Teacher- from: N.C.S. [UK]

This occupation is typically suited for people with the following Career Interests:

 Social

The Social person's interests focus on interacting with the people in their environment. In all cases, the Social person enjoys the personal contact with other people in preference to the impersonal dealings with things, data and ideas found in other groups.

Many will seek out positions where there is direct contact with the public in some advisory role, whether a receptionist or a counsellor. Social people are motivated by an interest in different types of people and like diversity in their work environments. Many are drawn towards careers in the caring professions and social welfare area, whilst others prefer teaching and other 'informing' roles.

 Administrative

Administrative people are interested in work that offers security and a sense of being part of a larger process. They may be at their most productive under supervisors who give clear guidelines and while performing routine tasks in a methodical and reliable way.

They tend to enjoy clerical and most forms of office work, where they perform essential administrative duties. They often form the backbone of large and small organisations alike. They may enjoy being in charge of office filing systems, and using computers and other office equipment to keep things running smoothly. They usually like routine work hours and prefer comfortable indoor workplaces.

 Creative

Creative people are drawn to careers and activities that enable them to take responsibility for the design, layout or sensory impact of something (visual, auditory etc). They may be atrracted to the traditional artistic pursuits such as painting, sculpture, singing, or music. Or they may show more interest in design activities, such as architecture, animation, or craft areas, such as pottery and ceramics.

Creative people use their personal understanding of people and the world they live in to guide their work. Creative people like to work in unstructured workplaces, enjoy taking risks and prefer a minimum of routine.

To become an early years care teacher, you must meet certain qualifications requirements. Learners can develop from pathways in care via Aistear & Siolta in early childhood education. The qualifications & vetting must meet Dept of Children Early years qualification requirements click here.

Sample Education and Training Pathways
A number of courses are available throughout the country that focus on learning and skills that may be useful for this career. The examples and links below may guide you in your research. 

Further Education (FET)
Further Education & Training (FET) Courses are delivered by local ETBs, ranging in duration from several weeks up to 20 months. Courses are designed to meet the labour market needs and often include a large element of work experience.

Example search terms include: early childhood care & education, ECCE, facilitation.

Search for FET Courses

PLC Courses (FET)
PLC courses are full-time courses, one or two years duration, with awards at Level 5 and 6 on the NFQ. They are offered nationally in Schools and Colleges of Further Education.

Example search terms include: early childhood care, montessori education, ECCE.

Search for PLC Courses

Higher Education CAO (Undergraduate) 
Higher Education courses at Levels 6 to 8 on the NFQ, delivered in Universities and Technological Universities & Institutes. Courses run from 2 – 5 years and places are allocated on a points-based system, processed by the Central Application Office.

Example search terms include: montessori education, early childhood care, health, education.

Search for CAO Courses

A number of institutions offer Montessori training at diploma and degree level in Ireland including:

• NM701/ NM801 The St. Nicholas Montessori College, (Dun Laoghaire, Cork, and Limerick)
• CR440 Montessori Education Cork Inst Technology (MTU)  
• Direct Apply Montessori College, Mount St Mary's, Milltown, Dublin

Higher Education (Postgraduate)
Postgraduate courses are courses at Levels 9 and 10 on the NFQ and usually last 1 – 2 years full time, or longer if a PhD or part time. Entrants typically require an undergraduate award (Level 8).

Example search terms include: early childhood care and education.

Search for Postgraduate Courses

Salary Range (thousands per year)* €24k - €34k

Salaries vary based on employer, location, experience, duties, and role.

Data Source(s):
Payscale.com/ Indeed.ie / Glassdoor.ie

Last Updated: April, 2023

Note: The following information relates to occupations that include: Nursery nurses; Nursery assistants and playworkers; Childminders and related occupations; Playgroup leaders.

This information has been derived from the Solas National Skills Bulletin (2023).

The five-year average employment growth for this occupation was below the national average, with a decline of over 3,000 persons employed between 2021 and 2022. Almost all employed in quarter 4 2022 were female, 40% were employed part-time and a third held third level qualifications. The high number of recent job hires in 2022 without any employment growth would suggest a significant volume of job churn is occurring for this occupation.

There was also a relatively high number of jobseekers registered with DSP in December 2022 who were classified as previously employed in childcare roles. A Government report on workforce planning for childcare workers includes measures to both raise qualification levels for childcare workers and to enhance the attractiveness of the job so as to improve retention for these roles.

There is significant supply from the education system for these roles, with 3,263 QQI major awards in 2021 and circa 800 level 8 awards in higher education. Future demand for childcare workers will depend on demographic factors (with the number of 0–4-year-olds in the population declining), childcare usage (Census 2022 indicates that 28% of under 5s are in some form of formal childcare), and Government childcare strategies such as the National Childcare Scheme (extension of this scheme to include informal childminders is estimated to reduce demand for formal childcare services by approximately 20 percentage points.

• Childminding Ireland, The National Childminding Association of Ireland Ltd

  • 9 Bulford Business Campus, Kilcoole, Co Wicklow.
  • (01) 287 8466
  • [email protected]
  • Click Here

• Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth

  • 43-49 Mespil Rd, Dublin 4.
  • (01) 647 3000
  • Click Here

• Early Childhood Ireland

  • c/o Childminding Ireland
  • 01 4057100
  • [email protected]
  • Click Here

• Tusla – Child and Family Agency,

  • Floors 2-5, Brunel Building, Heuston South Quarter, Dublin 8.
  • (01) 7718500
  • [email protected]
  • Click Here