Milestones Everton Park and the wider community at Affinity Education Group has recently acknowledged a remarkable achievement for Centre Manager Tina Barbour.
Tina has recently celebrated 10 years of service at her centre, having worked her way from a casual educator to Centre Manager, upskilling at every opportunity.
Area Manager, Trudy Brook was delighted to be able to present this award to Tina and formally recognise her hard work and dedication over the past decade.
“We are so proud of Tina’s enthusiasm and commitment to providing quality early education to the children at her centre. She has spent several years developing her skills and experience, and we’re so glad we were able to support and reward her, for her professional development throughout her career", said Trudy.
With Early Childhood Educators Day approaching, we sat down with Tina to find out more about her journey with Affinity Education Group.
What was your first Early Childhood Education role?
I started my career as an au pair in San Francisco, after three years I returned home and applied for an entry position at Milestones Everton Park. I had no formal qualifications at the time, but was keen to get started on my study and they saw potential in me. I came for a trial day and never left - and here we are 10 years later!
When did you decide to make Early Childhood Education your career?
Working in the education industry is something that I’ve always wanted to do. I come from a large family with lots of nieces and nephews, and was always surrounded by children growing up, which definitely influenced my career path. They say it takes a village to raise a child and I am so grateful that I get to be part of so many families' village.
Tell us a little about your career journey
I was first employed as an assistant and began studying my Certificate III. Shortly after I was offered a Lead Educator position and with this promotion, I decided to further my skills began studying my Diploma. I worked as a Lead Educator for a few years before going on maternity leave. Upon my return in 2016 I was offered the Assistant Centre Manager position - an incredible opportunity, and just one year later was promoted to the Centre Manager role.
Tell us about your centre – what do you love the most about it?
We have an amazing team that have been working together for a long time, and together we have created a centre that feels warm and homely, and really is a home away from home for our children.
What do you think the children enjoy most about their days at your centre?
The children at our centre absolutely love the variety of fun learning opportunities we provide, as well as the special relationships they get develop with their educators and peers. Our outdoor environment and the home cooked meals are a huge hit too!
Why have you chosen to stay with Affinity Education Group for this length of time in your career?
I’ve stayed with Affinity throughout my career as they have been so supportive of my goals. All Centre Manager, Area Managers and Educators have amazing support systems in place to help us all reach our full potential - and of course to have serious fun along the way!
Learn about more about the career opportunities and paths available at Affinity Education.