Pilot With Us

Intro

The first real-world activation of the NCCS Framework  supervised and evaluated by Macquarie University.

The NCCS Pilot is a 12-week research-backed program testing the operational workforce model in live ECEC service environments. It is independently led by Prof Sandie Wong and Dr Sheila Degotardi from Macquarie University's ECEC research hub.

The pilot will generate the evidence base needed to support national implementation — and participating centres will be among the first in Australia to operate under a defined operational workforce model.

→ Request a Pilot Participation Pack

How the Pilot Works

The NCCS Pilot is designed to fit your centre — not the other way around.

• All modifications are agreed in advance with centre leadership
• The framework is built around your daily routine, not imposed on top of it
• NCCS will not interrupt, interfere with, or hinder normal programming or operations
• Educators are supported, not disrupted — the pilot adds capacity, it doesn't redistribute it

What changes in your centre:

• Cleaning and infection-control tasks are transferred to a NCCS-certified operational worker
• Educators are returned to full-time pedagogy and supervision
• Every operational task is documented, scheduled, and auditable
• Role boundaries are clear from day one

What Gets Measured

The pilot is a structured research activation — not a trial-and-error exercise. Evaluation focuses on four domains:

1. Feasibility

Can the NCCS model be deployed across different service types and sizes without disruption?

2. Fidelity

Is the model implemented as designed — are governance controls, role separation, and documentation standards maintained in practice?

3. Workforce Impact

What changes in educator workload, satisfaction, and retention intent when non-core tasks are removed?

4. System-Level Outcomes

Does the model improve compliance clarity, infection-control reliability, and operational consistency?

All research activities are conducted under Macquarie University's independent leadership, ensuring methodological rigour, ethical compliance, and alignment with national standards.

What Your Centre Receives

• NCCS-certified operational workforce deployed on-site
• Full training and onboarding for the NCCS cleaning role
• Documentation templates, schedules, and compliance tools
• Ongoing support from the NCCS implementation team
• Independent evaluation and outcome reporting from Macquarie University
• Post-pilot report specific to your centre's results

Who Should Participate

We are recruiting centres across diverse service types to ensure the evidence base reflects real-world variation:

• Long day care
• Preschool/kindergarten
• Multi-site operators
• Single-site independent services

Centres are selected based on readiness, capability, and strategic alignment with the program. You do not need to have existing cleaning systems in place — the pilot builds them for you.

What Happens After the Pilot

Pilot outcomes will directly inform:

• National policy submissions and regulatory alignment
• Scalable rollout pathways for the NCCS model
• Published research contributing to the ECEC evidence base
• Participating centres will be recognised as foundation implementation sites — the first in Australia to operate under a governed operational workforce model

For Large Service Providers

If your organisation operates multiple centres, the pilot offers a structured opportunity to:

• ✓ Address the sector's #1 workforce challenge — educator retention
• ✓ Reduce workload-related absences and burnout
• ✓ Simplify 2026 NQF compliance with auditable schedules, role clarity, and incident protocols
• ✓ Strengthen competitive positioning through NCCS-Certified service status
• ✓ Reduce management conflict — clear role boundaries mean fewer disputes

Pilot commitment: 2 pilot sites per organisation + 12-week engagement

Support provided: Research team, documentation templates, training delivery

Outcomes: Evidence of workload reduction, compliance improvement, staff satisfaction

✓ Addresses your #1 workforce challenge: educator retention

 ✓ Reduces workload-related absences documented: 12 sick days/educator/year in ECEC

 ✓ Simplifies 2026 NQF compliance auditable schedules, role clarity, incident protocols

 ✓ Strengthens competitive positioning "NCCS-Certified Service" marketing advantage

 ✓ Reduces management conflict clear role boundaries = fewer disputes