CEO: Why we spend $90k per year on professional learning and development

It's not just the toddlers learning at this kindy.

Staff costs at Kindergarten Taranaki account for 96% of its $NZ12 mill revenue.

And, each year, $90,000 of that is devoted to professional learning and development (PLD).

“We are particularly strong in the teaching and learning space,” says CEO Dawn Osman. “Our senior teaching and learning team develop an annual calendar of PLD.”

Turns out Kindergarten Taranaki is a learning powerhouse.

Learning for senior leadership

Kindergarten Taranaki is made up of 24 kindergartens around the Taranaki province, in view of Mount Taranaki volcano, in the west of New Zealand's North Island.

As well as 120 teachers, 30 support staff are employed across the kindergarten network.

The Growth Faculty is now part of a learning solution for KT's leadership and support staff.

“It is particularly challenging to access high quality PLD for our senior leadership team," says Dawn. “and that’s why in 2020 I signed the team up [as members of] The Growth Faculty.” 

"The masterclasses were a big draw for me as they were delivered via Zoom making then really accessible.”

Learning challenges of time and cost

In an interview on learning and development, Dawn tells me The Growth Faculty solved a time, cost and convenience challenge for her.

 “Our senior leadership team can access PLD as and when they like, at their desk, at work, at home, anytime really,” she says. “The membership fee is minimal in comparison to what you have to pay for PLD at that level.”

In the main office are 14 staff with teams focused on teaching and learning, people and culture, facilities, and services.

Pre-pandemic learning looked a lot different

Prior to COVID-19, they’d bond at live events.

“Not only was the event itself great PLD, we had time together and that was great team building. We could solve all the problems while trapped together in the car!” she remembers.

In this time of the pandemic, though, she likes staff to have learning at their fingertips 24/7.

“The content on The Growth Faculty website is accessible at all times so this meant that the senior leadership team could access ongoing learning at their own pace in their own time.”

Summing up

Reasons Dawn likes The Growth Faculty memberships for senior leadership training:

·       The calibre of the speakers and the content of the Masterclasses.

·       Opportunities that are targeted at the senior leadership level.

·       Affordability.

·       Membership fee is minimal in comparison to other high-level training.

·       Snippets from the speakers on the website content to reinforce the learning.

·       Learning is at your fingertips 24/7 via the website.

·       Books delivered to your door (Premium membership) 

If you'd like to increase your professional development in 2021 why not consider becoming a member of The Growth Faculty? One membership, unlimited access to 30 live virtual Time For Transformation masterclasses and the best live virtual events - PLUS year-round leadership content On Demand with videos, podcasts and book summaries. Join a community of knowledge seekers who are inspired by the best. Access $4350+ value for just $398 AUD. See who's up next.