Footprints Educator Tahlia McGrail knows all-too-well how impactful a positive early learning experience can be. Why? Because she attended Footprints as a child herself.

Tahlia McGrail describes herself as being a bit of a ‘Mummy’s girl’ as a child.

“My daily drop offs were always quite emotional, but the educators were always going above and beyond to make sure I wasn’t upset for long.”

You might say that Tahlia learned a lot from those educators. The Burnie local – who is now one of our much-loved educators – attended Footprints Educational Complex from the age of 11 months.

“Throughout my childhood I spent a lot of time at Footprints. I attended with my childhood best friends, so we made a lot of fond memories and got up to a lot of mischief. Back then, the centre was based across two buildings – I remember the older rooms having an amazing outdoor environment.

“I attended 5 days a week, so the educators and my mum taught me pretty much everything I knew as a child.”

The eldest of two sisters, Tahlia always had an innate desire to help others.

“As a child, I always aspired to work in an industry where I could either work with people or give
back to the community. I’ve worked in industries similar to the education and care environment ever since I left college.”

With work experience spanning hospitality and care, Tahlia was still searching for her true calling when she saw the job advertisement for a traineeship with Footprints and ‘knew it was the one’ for her.

“Walking back into the Centre as an adult, I felt very welcomed and it was very comforting to see some familiar faces. I knew I wanted to work at Footprints when I very first met my colleagues and the children, saw the environment I would be working in and the opportunities Footprints could offer me.

“It was a nice feeling to be familiar with the areas and I feel privileged to be able to share these memories with others moving forward.”

True to Tahlia’s memory, the Footprints team went over and above to ensure she felt at home at the Centre. She passes this sense of comfort and ease to the children who may be feeling a little nervous about attending – just like she was.

For Tahlia, what makes the Footprints community special is the ability to ‘come together as one and support and uplift each other’, regardless of the different upbringings and environments everyone comes from.

As for her favourite part of the day?

“Seeing the children’s faces light up as we are greeted, and spending time with my amazing work colleagues. We’re a team of passionate, dedicated educators who strive to provide a safe, secure and homelike environment for every child. I love being able to provide a stimulating environment for each unique child and ensuring that they feel supported and nurtured.”

If you’d like to come by and meet Tahlia or the rest of the Footprints team, schedule a time to drop in today.