DAYTON, Ohio — The staffing shortage is impacting just about every field, including early learning such as day cares and preschools. Dayton Christian Center is hoping to make some new hires this weekend at the Early Learning Job Fair.
What You Need To Know
- Many day care centers and preschools are struggling to find employees
- Dayton Christian Center lost four employees due to the pandemic
- Most employees have to help in other areas like the kitchen just to keep things running
- About 50 day care and preschool providers will be at the Early Learning Job Fair on Saturday hoping to find qualified candidates
At Dayton Christian Center, there always seems to be a dance party going on. The center serves infants, teaches preschool, and even has an after-school program.
But thanks to staffing shortages, it’s only serving half the amount of kids now than pre-pandemic. Which is why assistant director Yvonne Watkins finds herself in the kitchen these days.
“Whenever they know we need help, they jump in,” Watkins said.
The cook has been out sick for the last week, so Watkins and other staff members have had to step in to make lunches for the kids. Something she says can’t last.
“Sometimes we’re all doing dual roles just to make sure we are doing what we need to do here,” she said. “We call ourselves family and that’s just what we are. We step in and assist as needed and it’s great. But at the same time, you don’t want to overwork your staff.”
Dayton Christian Center isn’t the only child care provider that’s struggled with staffing. In a recent Rapid Assessment of Pandemic Impact on Development survey, nearly two-thirds of child care providers have experienced recent staffing shortages. Watkins repeatedly has turned away families because there are not enough teachers.
“I feel really bad, but I can’t put a child in a classroom where there’s no teacher,” Watkins said.
That’s why Montgomery County Business services alongside Preschool Promise are hosting an Early Learning Job Fair this Saturday in hopes of finding more staff for nearly 50 area child care and preschool providers. Watkins is hopeful this will be the best way to find qualified candidates.
“Once we get new staff, they tend to stay on,” Watkins said. “Now the hard part in all of this is finding those same quality teachers that want to work in this field.”
The Early Learning Job Fair is on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Montgomery County Job Center. Providers are looking to fill a variety of positions from teachers, bus drivers, maintenance, cooks and more.
