Career Profile: Manny
Life is mostly child's play for "manny'' Davey McBaron. The former landscaper-cum-bike mechanic turned nanny/childcare worker after having been "progressively talked into'' taking up the role upon completion of a nanny course and a Certificate III in Children's Services, which is offered at TAFE.
He had been studying a Bachelor of Creative Industries (Creative Writing) to become a screenwriter -- an idea he has since shelved. McBaron's penchant for childcare stemmed from having a pre-school teacher mother and being privy to discussions of children and child care. His childhood was filled with an array of children's activities where "every day was like being at pre-school''.
Later on, taking part in the occasional show and tell and interacting with the pre-school children his mother taught was something he enjoyed and which fed his interest in "mannying'' (manny is a term for a male nanny).
Even so, he initially had not seriously considered it as a career choice. A self-confessed jack-of-all-trades, McBaron is now a childcare trainer and looks after children at corporate creches, weddings, trade shows, wine shows and miscellaneous functions, as well as moonlighting as a stand-up comedian.
As a man in what most would consider a female-dominated industry, he says he has received mostly positive feedback. "It's absolutely no problem for the kids and other staff seem to like having a bloke there who can relate to the kids,'' McBaron says.
"I have never encountered any negativity from other people in the industry.'' His training role covers subjects such as baby care, professional development, nutrition, first aid, working ethically and communication -- which further breaks down into building a rapport with parents, a skill he says childcare workers need to master.
"Communication is very important because a lot of people can get along well with children but they may not be able to relate well to the parents,'' McBaron says. He says nannies-in-training need to genuinely care about children.
"If you don't have a sense of empathy and an innate desire to care, everything else will fall by the wayside,'' he says.
Nanny programs are divided into theoretical and practical components. Courses range in duration from three months to longer certificate and advanced diploma-level studies.
LOVE YOUR WORK
How did you get into your job? My interest was sparked by my mother, a preschool teacher. I did a nanny course followed by a Certificate III in Children's Services (which can be done at TAFE NSW).
Downside? Once I did have a dad call me a weirdo because of my work choice and for working as a nanny.
By Stephanie Madison, The Daily Telegraph, April 9, 2007.