More Than Just a Workplace: Why You’ll Love Growing Your Career at Kool Kidz
If you’re considering a career in early childhood education and looking for a fresh start with a team that truly has your back, here is what life looks like on the inside at one of our Kool Kidz Centres.
Genuine Support for Early Childhood Educators
Ask any early childhood educator what they love most about their work, and you’ll hear the same things: the children, the connections, the sense of purpose. But ask what makes them stay at a particular centre, and the answer almost always comes down to one thing: the team.
At Kool Kidz, building teams is a deliberate, ongoing commitment from day one. Since opening in February 2024, the Centre Owner and Approved Provider at Charlemont, Donna Shearer, has approached staffing with a clear philosophy: hire passionate people, look after them well, and everything else follows.
“It all starts with building a supportive team. If our staff are happy to come to work, they will come to work and be better at their job,” Donna explained. “Support is my main priority. I support staff at work, but also with things going on at home and everything in between.”
Hiring for Heart, Not Just Qualifications
At Kool Kidz, skills matter, but passion comes first.
When Donna needs to recruit someone new for her team, she looks for educators who genuinely want to be in early childhood, who care deeply about keeping children safe, and who she’d genuinely enjoy working alongside.
It’s a values-led approach, and the results prove it’s the right methodology.
With over 60 staff and around 50 on deck each week, Charlemont has cultivated a team where people look out for one another, step up when things get hard, and celebrate each other’s wins.
If you’re someone who brings energy, heart, and a genuine love of working with children, you’ll fit right in at Kool Kidz!
Meet the Chief Vibe Officer
One of the most distinctive things about life at Kool Kidz Charlemont is a role you won’t find on many centre organisational charts: the Chief Vibe Officer.
The idea came from Donna recognising a simple truth: when you have a large, busy team, it’s easy for people to feel overlooked.
Birthdays slip by. Someone has a rough week, and nobody notices. The small moments of recognition that make people feel valued, supported and connected can get lost in the daily rush.
So Donna looked inward and recruited someone from within the team who was already embedded in the day-to-day and truly understood the centre’s rhythms. The result is a role dedicated entirely to keeping the team’s energy positive and morale high.
Monique, the centre’s current Chief Vibe Officer and an Assistant Educator herself, describes it this way:
“We have quite a lot of staff, and it can be difficult to keep track of birthdays, anniversaries, and to constantly keep the vibe up. My job is to make sure everyone feels recognised and celebrated. If I notice anyone is feeling down, I can brainstorm some activities, team building or games to get the staff vibes up. I also organise activities outside of work so we can connect and build healthier relationships.”
From handwritten love letters sent between rooms when spirits are low, to an Educators of the Month program with a $50 gift voucher, to memorable team games at the Christmas party, the Chief Vibe Officer keeps Charlemont feeling like a community, not just a workplace.
Monique also explained that her leaders aren’t hesitant to invest in staff or the centre if that means a positive outcome for everyone.
They are also open to any and all feedback, which encourages staff to speak up. You will be heard because the values and opinions of staff are important.
Friendly Competition That Brings Everyone Together
One of the most fun expressions of that community spirit? Room-to-room competitions that get everyone involved, including the children and educators.
During Christmas, each room transformed its door into a festive display. Reindeers, jingle bells, Australian-themed takes on the 12 Days of Christmas, creativity was on full display.
The leadership team judged entries, with the winning room (a 2.5-year-olds’ group that found a brilliant way to involve the children themselves) taking home chocolates and gift cards.
Another challenge was for each team to come up with a creative way to introduce themselves to new families at the start of the year. Teams created quizzes, videos, and even handmade books, all showcasing their unique personality and warmth.
These competitions aren’t just meant to be fun, but another way to build connections across a large centre, spark collaboration between educators and children, and give everyone a shared experience to laugh about long after the decorations come down.
Leadership Built to Support Childcare Educators Every Day
Despite the legal staffing ratio requiring only 4 educators, all rooms at Kool Kidz are staffed above that ratio, with 6-7 educators in certain areas to allow for proper planning and development time.
At Charlemont, the leadership team doesn’t just manage from a distance, they’re in the rooms alongside you.
The structure includes Donna as Centre Owner, alongside a Director, an Assistant Director, and an Educational Leader.
Everyone on the leadership team plays a hands-on role in day-to-day support. They greet educators every morning, check in throughout the day, and step into rooms whenever an extra set of hands is needed, whether that’s helping settle a group of overtired babies, supporting a child with additional needs, or simply giving an educator a moment to breathe after a challenging stretch.
“Our staff know they have back-up”, explained Donna. And that sense of support is something educators at Charlemont describe as genuinely changing their experience of their work.
The Educational Leader takes mentoring especially seriously, spending dedicated time in rooms to provide a higher staff-to-child ratio, helping new educators find their rhythm, develop their practice, and access the resources they need to thrive.
A Culture of Professional Development
At Kool Kidz, professional development is built into the structure of the working week.
Our centres operate well above regulatory staffing ratios in many rooms, which means educators genuinely have time away from the floor to plan, study, and develop.
Room leaders receive additional planning time beyond regulatory requirements. Educators studying for qualifications are given time off the floor to focus on their studies.
The Kool Kidz Central Support Team also plays an active role in ongoing development. Far from being an intimidating head office presence, the Central team is treated as a genuine resource. They join team meetings, often over a shared meal, to provide training, answer questions and build real relationships with educators.
“They aren’t here to be scary, but here to help,” Donna explained. “We’re always learning. You’re allowed to make mistakes, so I encourage staff to treat the Central team as partners, not as observers who judge them. As long as children are safe, it’s ok.”
Your Family Matters Here Too
One of the most meaningful benefits at Kool Kidz is the staff discount, which is 50% off fees for educators who enrol their own children at the centre.
For Donna, this is part of her philosophy, not just a workplace perk. She sees the centre as a place where her team’s families are just as important as the families they care for.
Nearly half the team takes up this benefit, and many describe the experience of having their child at the same centre as genuinely reassuring.
“It’s a real community,” Donna said. “And I always take our staff and their families into consideration when I’m planning, not just our childcare families. Our centre really is about all our families.”
What Educators Say About Working at Kool Kidz:
“Kool Kidz is a place that I love to work for, and I recommend to others because of the support from management and also from Head Office, to be able to be the best educators we can be. With the latest research and professional development, we are always providing the highest quality care, education, and safety for the children at Charlemont. And we’re not expected to be robots. We’re allowed to be human beings that have a life outside of work.”
- Monique, Vibe Officer at Charlemont
Ready to Join the Kool Kidz Family?
Kool Kidz Charlemont reflects the Kool Kidz approach to quality care across the entire group. With a brand new service opening soon in Mount Duneed, there’s never been a better time to become part of our team.
If you’re a passionate early childhood educator looking for a place where your wellbeing, your family and your professional growth genuinely matter, we’d love to hear from you.
Explore current opportunities at Kool Kidz →
