You may have heard of the ongoing talent shortage that most corporate industries are experiencing. For those unfamiliar, it goes a little something like this. Many industries, particularly those in the STEM fields (science, engineering, health care, etc.), don’t have enough qualified applicants to fill open positions. Part of this has to do with graduation rates in these fields. Another major factor is that health care (and other career paths mentioned) are expanding very quickly.
But perhaps the most distressing factor, for hiring agents, is that more people are simply leaving the corporate world. The reasons are manifold. People want the freedom and the chance to start something new. Others find they can have a lower-paying career that is far more fulfilling. Others find they can have great health care through the private health care exchange, without having to rely on a workplace benefits program. No matter the reasons, more and more people are finding out how to make money on their own. And while this deprives the corporate world of bright minds, it’s helping surprising industries, like daycare.
Childcare is a big business, even though you don’t often see it centralized. There is no Wal-Mart of childcare, mostly because to keep kids happy and safe, you need a much smaller facility, with a high staff to child ratio. That’s why childcare centers are all over the place. But even with hundreds of small daycare centers already operating in your state, many parents report there not being enough in their region.
It’s true. There always seems to be a shortage of great childcare. This makes it an ideal industry for someone with corporate or management experience to get into. Corporate experience is very helpful for future daycare operators/managers, for many reasons. For one, the regulatory and safety standards required for such operations are stringent, and require a qualified and committed individual to fulfill them. The same is true for tax practices, tuition fundraising, employee background checks, daily paperwork, etc.
When you look at the tasks required of even a small daycare center, it resembles a small corporation. And that’s because this is exactly what it is. Parents and guardians want only the best and safest situation for their precious children. This has led to a regulatory environment that demands thoroughness and transparency from even the smallest area daycares. And yet, lawmakers understand that their rules must be easy enough to be followed, just as those regulations geared towards large corporate entities.
This makes daycare management perfect for a person coming out of the corporate world. While the hours and stress will be lower, it’s still vital to maintain high standards of performance, for oneself and employees. Cloud-based software solutions like SkyChildCare make all of this much, much easier. With tools like these, you can manage enrollment, employee pay and scheduling, communication with parents, pickup and drop-off security, and everything else it takes to run a safe and happy daycare.
In the end, there are regulations to follow, and tools to make the job easier. But the buck stops with you: the owner/manager/operator. Without your daily guidance, the excellence of a day care can be compromised. This standard makes it a perfect fit for someone leaving the corporate world. In that environment, shareholders were the ones you had to please. The stakes were high. In day care, you won’t have someone’s millions to manage, but you will have precious lives. It takes commitment and hard work, but it’s a quality service that parents all around your area will be more than willing to pay you to perform.