Historically there have been few men in roles in the child-care industry; however this is gradually changing as more have joined the ranks in recent years. In the meantime, the newly opened Niño early learning centre in Newport has had an overwhelmingly positive response to their announcement that their management team was to include Assistant Manager Will Dunlop.
“It’s been great. I have been in the industry for 14 years. First starting with my certificate 3 and going on to complete my Bachelor of Education.”
But Will hasn’t always been a ‘westie’.
“No I spent some time in London working as a primary school teacher before heading back to Australia and moving to Melbourne to live. My wife and I relocated from Sydney a year and a half ago and I’ve been here in the west for about 6 months now.”
So what’s does Will find appealing about this area?
“Well I grew up and we lived near the beaches and have always enjoyed the beach. When we moved, we wanted to be close to the water.”
That gives us a clue as to what Will might do with his spare time around these parts…
“I enjoy going to the beach and going for walks around the area. I find it nice to grab a coffee and go for a stroll”
Moving to a new area does have its challenges though, for Will it has been a bit of a change moving from Sydney to Melbourne – in particular getting use to the weather!
“We’re getting there, recently my wife and I have had our first child, so it’s been a wonderful time really.”
Will’s a big fan of the café and restaurant scene, even though that sector faces an uncertain future.
“It’s great. I don’t really have a favourite one as they are all good, but I do enjoy pizza and coffee spots around Newport and Altona.”
And finally, what does Will see as his role among the families of the west?
“I have a strong passion for building respectful relationships with children, families and educator’s. I value working with Niño as an Assistant Manager as it allows me to show growth within the industry while continuing to learn new things.
