CAREER OPPORTUNITIES AT KIDÉAL KITAS

Janine Keller

UP AND AWAY AND BACK TO CHINDERSTERN

«An unexpected phone call from kidéal with the words: “We have a vacancy as Pedagogical Manager, are you interested?” got everything rolling and gave me a few sleepless nights.»

Professional career:
Certified educator
Team leader in family complementary child care
Development within the kidéal Group
From March 1st 2012 to September 30th 2013
Group Manager at child care centre Chinderstern Dietikon
Since February 1st 2017 she has taken over the function of Pedagocical Manager at the child care centre Chinderstern Im Gaarte, Dietikon.

From March 2012 to September 2013 you worked as a Group Manager at the child care centre Chinderstern in Dietikon. Then you left us for a while. Why?
I can still remember the farewell from the child care centre Chinderstern Dietikon. The decision was not easy for me at all. And yet I was attracted by the offer from my former boss, who offered me a job in a private child care center as Deputy Manager. She was going on maternity leave at the time and I was able to represent her for six months. In addition, I was responsible for the training of five apprentices. Also, the place of work was only five minutes by bike from where I lived at the time, which was an important decision-making factor for me.

Now you have been back for over two years and hold the position of Pedagogical Manager at Chinderstern im Gaarte in Dietikon. How did this come about?
I was satisfied with my job at the time and enjoyed my newly acquired skills. In addition, I had started my training as a team leader. But an unexpected phone call from kidéal with the words: “We have a vacancy as Pedagogical Manager, are you interested?” got everything rolling and gave me a few sleepless nights. I asked myself the question: Am I up to such a responsible position? The new challenge appealed to me enormously and I knew that with kidéal as an employer I could make great progress in my professional career. I didn’t have to think twice, I agreed and took up the position as Pedagogical Manager at Chinderstern Im Gaarte in February 2017. kidéal supports me wherever possible and stands one hundred percent behind me and believes in me. The fact that I chose the Chinderstern was the right decision, and I am happier than ever with my work!

Why did you decide to train as a “team leader”? And how did kidéal support you in this?
Since I was basically interested in the management function in a child care center, and the conclusion of team leadership in the family-complementary childcare is a legal requirement for this, I absolutely wanted to do this further training and complete it. In addition, this training has enabled me to expand my leadership skills, which helps me a lot in my everyday work today, as I need the acquired knowledge on a daily basis.
kidéal then also covered a large part of the costs for this further training. In addition, they provided me with time for the school days and I was able to implement my thesis unconditionally with my team in the child care centre.

What does your profession mean to you and what does the child care centre Chinderstern im Gaarte mean to you?
In my opinion, my job is an absolute dream job. As Pedagogical Manager, I design every day anew, set priorities and always get the best out of my team for the parents and children. Regularly and very gladly I can also be found on the children’s group. To get an authentic insight into everyday group life, I find this very important.
At the child care centre Chinderstern im Gaarte I appreciate the independent work, kidéal is placing great trust in me. Due to this freedom, the Chinderstern im Gaarte is very close to my heart and I take over the responsibility in all areas with a lot of joy and enthusiasm.

Thank you very much for this interesting conversation and continue to have a lot of joy at Chinderstern. Hopefully you will stay with us for a long time.

Iris Cartier

Offer accepted for new challenge

«I was very surprised and at the same time felt very flattered by this request»

Professional career:
Primary teacher Netherlands
Manager of child care centres
Development within the kidéal Group:
From June 17th 2013 to December 31st 2014
Group Manager and Deputy Pedagogical Manager
Pedagogical Manager, from January 1st 2015 to December 31st 2018 at the child care centre ylaa Densa Park, Basel
Since January 1st 2019 Pedagogical Manager of the Kita ylaa Bruderholz, Basel and since January 2022 responsible Pedagogy & Compliance for the area Basel Land and Basel City

Iris, since January of this year you have taken over the pedagogical management of the child care centre ylaa Bruderholz. Before that, you worked for four and a half years as a Pedagogical Manager at the child care centre ylaa Densa Park. How did this come about?
Yes, that’s right, I ran the child care centre ylaa Densa Park for four and a half years with a lot of joy, love and commitment. During this time, I learned a lot and developed personally. It has always been very important to me that the Kita ylaa Densa Park is a place where everyone, the children as well as the team, feel comfortable and can and want to develop.
When it became known in autumn 2018 that the position of Pedagogical Manager of the child care centre ylaa Bruderholz would become vacant, Katja Fläcklin, the kidéal Division Manager Northwestern Switzerland, asked me if I would like to take on this position. I was very surprised and at the same time felt very flattered by this request, as ylaa Bruderholz with four groups belongs to one of the largest locations of kidéal. After a short consideration, I decided to gladly accept this new challenge. I have set myself the goal of developing ylaa Bruderholz into just as wonderful a place as ylaa Densa Park.

Had you also considered looking for a new challenge at that time or did this opportunity come just right for you?
Yes, exactly, at that time I wanted to develop professionally in addition to my work at ylaa Densa Park. That is why at the beginning of 2018 I set myself the goal of training as an expert for the acceptance of practical examinations. I still have this goal, but it is no longer a top priority at the moment.

Both ylaa child care centers work according to the same concept. Are there still differences? And what is the biggest challenge?
That’s right, originally both ylaa child care centers worked according to exactly the same pedagogical plan. However, since the two locations are of different sizes, in terms of groups and, above all, spatially, certain pedagogical processes have changed slightly. The child care centre ylaa Bruderholz, for example, has four of its own group rooms, but apart from a “gym” room, no functional rooms, as they are available in Densa Park. Accordingly, the pedagogical annual plans, which are basically the same, are adapted to the possibilities of the existing rooms at the respective location.
Also, the premises at the Bruderholz location, divided into two houses with two floors each, pose as the biggest challenge to me as the manager. Because it is important to ensure that there is always enough staff available for all groups and on all floors. This is particularly difficult when team members are absent due to illness. At ylaa Densa Park, this was easier to cope with, as the premises are on one level.

What do you like best about your new job?
What I like best is what has always fascinated me about the function of pedagogical management. By imparting knowledge, clear structures and transparent communication as well as always “open doors” for questions, I can offer my employees a place where they can flourish, develop and feel comfortable. In this way, I can get the best out of my employees and thus offer the children a loving, individual and attractive care in an educational and interpersonal way. It is also the combination of leading adults and working with children at the same time that makes my work perfect for me.

Nu Thuy Trang Ton

FROM CHILD CARE CENTRES TO SCHOOL-COMPLEMENTARY CENTRES

«I knew that working with older children suited me»

Professional career:
Certified educator
Vocational trainer
Development within the kidéal group
From April 1st 2012 to August 31st 2018
Group manager at the child care centre Chinderstern Wallisellen
In September and October 2018 springer at the child care centre Chinderstern Seebach
Since February 2021 Pedagogical Manager at the child care centre Chinderstern Schwerzenbach

Thuy, your career started with us at the child care centre Chinderstern in Wallisellen seven years ago. Back then, you were managing a group. What did you particularly like about your work?
For me, the children always come first. It gives me a lot of pleasure to bring my ideas, my knowledge and my strengths into everyday life and to give the children everything they need. In addition, the group was new when I took it over, which meant that I could build it up from the beginning, give it structures accordingly and shape it. I thought this variety between organizing and supervising was great.

In September 2018 you left Wallisellen and worked for a short time as a springer in our child care centre Chinderstern in Seebach before you switched to the school-complementary centre Wettingen. We are very pleased that you have stayed within the kidéal group. Why did you decide to do this?
Since I appreciate kidéal very much as an employer and I had been considering a change within the kidéal group for some time at that time, the offer to switch to the Tagesstern came at the ideal time for me. I was also very happy to be able to work with older children again (from kindergarten to 6th grade).

What made you decide to work with older children?
After seven years as a Group Manager at Chinderstern, it was time for me to take on a new challenge and develop further. It was very difficult for me to say goodbye to my child care group, which I had built up and co-developed. At the same time, however, I was looking forward to the new challenge as manager of the Langäcker site of the school-complementary centre Wettingen. Because through experiences that I had already gained in previous activities in this area, I knew that working with the older children was very important to me. There are slightly different topics, areas and tasks that are dealt with in the care of older children. They are versatile and very interesting, and you always develop yourself a bit further.

Today, as manager of the Langäcker centre, you are responsible for your own location within the Tagesstern Wettingen. What do you like about this challenge?
You have to think about a lot of things and coordinate them well, keeping an eye on the children and always offering them the best possible care. This means picking up the children where they are developing, offering them help in different life situations, motivating them to participate in group events and many other challenges. It is not always easy to find the right balance for this, because the children are often already very independent and the specifications that are necessary for a regulated process are sometimes not always great. But I think I’m doing quite well.

Did you have to complete another training for this new task?
No, that was not necessary, because the training and the successful completion as a certified educator as well as my experience are sufficient for this.

What advice would you give to someone who wants to go down this path?
You should always be clear about which goal you want to achieve and which way you want to go for it. For this purpose, it is important to reflect on yourself and consciously answer the question of which age group you prefer to work with and also where you can best contribute. I can say from experience that not all age groups appeal to me equally and I think that many others feel the same way. That’s why it’s important to ask yourself these questions if you want to make a switch from toddler care to the older children, or vice versa.

Thank you very much for the exciting conversation. We are glad you are with us and wish you many more exciting moments at the Tagesstern Wettingen.