Mindarie Keys staff celebrate 10 year milestone
Two educators at Keiki Early Learning Mindarie Keys have recently joined the company’s ‘’10-year club’’, enjoying dinner with owners Samantha Morrell and Angela Palmer to celebrate the impressive milestone. Centre Coordinator, Ruth Riches and Room Leader, Tracy Bekisz both work at Keiki’s flagship service in Mindarie, opened by sisters Sam and Angela in 2003.
In an industry where high staff turnover is common, Keiki Early Learning is bucking the trend. With a total of 129 permanent and casual employees across seven services in the Northern suburbs, the family-owned childcare company has experienced much of their growth in the past four years, adding five services since 2016. Nonetheless, Keiki Early Learning currently employs four staff who have been with the organisation for over 10 years and eight with 5-plus years of service. Staff members are treated to a special lunch, dinner or afternoon tea annually once each of these milestones is reached.
According to owner Sam, the key to longevity of staff was ongoing training, regular development opportunities and social events helping to bring the team together.
‘’We provide many professional development opportunities, both externally and internally, for all staff”, said Sam. “We actively seek to promote staff from within where possible and these opportunities also present themselves further as we add more service locations in the Northern suburbs. Staff will sometimes move to other Keiki services for a fresh change or new challenge, with the benefit of the staying within the same operating model, philosophy and practices.’’
Keiki’s longest serving staff member of 14 years is educator Nicole Fury, currently working at the newest service in Edgewater. Nicole started her journey at Keiki Mindarie Keys through Cert III student placements in 2006 and has since completed her Cert IV and Diploma in Children’s Services. Sarah England, an educator at Keiki Mindarie Primary’s Outside School Hours Care service, also joined the 10-year club last year.
