Carolyn Smith
Branch Secretary
United Workers Union
Carolyn Smith is the Branch Secretary of the United Workers Union and a prominent leader in the WA Labor Party. She was President of WA Labor from 2017 to 2021 and currently serves as the President of Unions WA. As a senior figure in the union sector, Carolyn has been instrumental in advocating for workers' rights, particularly within early education. Her leadership is focused on addressing the workforce crisis, including issues of burnout, underpayment, and systemic neglect in the sector.
SESSIONS
Day 2
12:00
Panel: Fixing the workforce crisis in early education
With a shortfall of 22,000 educators and 60% planning to leave in the next 3 years, is the sector losing its workforce to burnout, underpay, lack of value or systemic neglect?
Learn what needs to change to attract, retain, and respect the educators shaping our children's future
Moderator: Anna Learmonth, Chief Executive Officer, Only About Children
Carolyn Smith, Branch Secretary, United Workers Union
Linda Carroll, Chief People Officer, G8 Education
Dr Tamara Cumings, Lecturer & Associate Director of Workforce and Policy, Macquarie & Charles Sturt University