Your union-funded professional learning program
The Early Learning Sector is dynamic, and access to quality professional learning is vital to support the sector to continue to deliver world-class education.
Through Big Steps Professional Learning, we empower educators to unlock your career potential. Our professional development programs provide the essential skills, knowledge, and networking opportunities you need to grow your career with confidence.
We believe real career growth happens when preparation meets opportunity. Whether you’re looking to advance your skills, boost your confidence, or take the next big step in your professional journey.
Big Steps Professional Learning focuses on creating communities of learning and practice, where you can connect over key topics, or domains of interest, to build your pedagogy and practice.
Courses are funded by United Workers Union, and are exclusive to Early Education union members.
Nutrition in early childhood lays the foundation for lifelong health, growth, and development. In this engaging webinar, we’ll explore why nutrition in early childhood matters, break down the basics of nutrition, and share practical ideas for menu planning that meet guidelines. We’ll also cover mealtime expectations and best practice for positive and delicious mealtimes.
Presenter Andie Sfyris from Healthy Eating Advisory Service is a dietitian with a strong passion for improving the food environment. She understands how our exposure to and experiences with food shape our relationships with health and self. Andie is motivated by making the healthy choice the easy choice, with a focus on creating accessible, supportive food systems for all.
Join Anthony Semann from Semann & Slattery as he shares his expertise dealing with challenging Behaviour in Early Education.
More Information coming soon.
Previous Workshops
Pedagogical Risk-Taking in Early Education
Educators joined Dr. Mandy Cooke for a session that provided an overview of current research on risk-taking and courage in early childhood education and care. Risk-taking and courage are embedded aspect of early childhood education, for both children and educators.
Thinking Holistically About Educator Wellbeing
Educators joined Associate Professor Tamara Cumming from Charles Sturt University (CSU) as she shares her research findings, discusses the challenges facing the sector, and gives some practical tips on how to manage your own wellbeing.
Now avaliable in the BSPL archive.
Elevate Your Career – Upskilling to a Bachelors Degree in ECEC
Our panel of sector experts and past and present students discussed the benefits and challenges of studying.
Answering questions from members, we tackled how you can ready to take the first steps towards starting your Bachelors Degree.
Leadership and Advocacy in ECEC
Sarah Louise Nelson guided educators in growing their impact through practical, values-driven advocacy and leadership across three powerful webinars:
- Everyday Leadership: The Educator as Advocate,
- Holding the Heart: Educational Leadership as Relational Advocacy,
- Leading with Purpose: The Nominated Supervisor as a System Advocate
Supporting Challenging Behaviours Through Movement and Play
UWU members learnt practical, evidence-based strategies to support children with challenging behaviours, emotional regulation difficulties, and complex needs through movement and play-based approaches.
Highlights and Takeaways From ECA 2025
Often described as the leading conference in the education and care sector in Australia, the ECA National Conference gives educators the opportunity to gain new skills and keep pace with the latest research and developments in the sector.
Our UWU Educators listened to over 100 speakers across four days and shared the key takeaways and highlights with UWU members.
United Workers Union Member Workshops
Available on demand, member workshops cover topics important to workers, from taxes to advocacy to protecting yourself legally.
not a union member?
Joining your union means you are able to access professional development to help your personal and career life!
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ECA National Conference 2024 in Meanjin (Brisbane)
UWU Educators won 5x local scholarships to the conference in September last year!
United Workers Union Big Steps Professional Development proudly offered 5 fully funded scholarships to our early educators to attend the ECA National Conference in April last year.
The ECA National Conference provides a platform for professional discourse relevant to the rights, well-being and early education of young children.
Our scholarship recipients had the chance not only to network with other sector professionals but also to embrace cultural responsiveness and inclusive practices, fostering children’s connection to culture and identity, while forming respectful partnerships to empower First Nations communities and families.
what professional development would you like to access?
Have your say on which professional development opportunities you would you like to access. Your feedback will inform our development program.
Here are some examples of what UWU Educators would like development on:
Previous partnerships
Partnering With Sector Experts to Deliver Quality Training
