In March 2024, Childcare & Education Expo London, a leading trade show for early education professionals, unveiled a new feature: the ‘What’s My Why? Wall’. 

The feature was developed following a discussion with the event’s advisory board, where sector leaders highlighted a critical issue: the need to keep people inspired and motivated to either join the sector or stay in it rather than moving to other industries. With the sector currently facing a recruitment crisis, the feature was designed to remind professionals of the rewarding aspects of their work, which would hopefully encourage retention. Eventually, the findings could be used to ignite marketing campaigns that support the sector in finding new talent. 

Why did we do this? 

1. Inspiration and motivation: To remind professionals why they chose a career in early education and to reignite their passion.
2. Community building: To create a sense of belonging and shared purpose.
3. Retention and recruitment: To address the recruitment crisis by reinforcing the value and impact of early education careers.
4. Awareness and advocacy: To highlight the reasons behind choosing a career in early education, pushing for better support and recognition for the sector. 
   
   

What key themes did we find?  

To ensure the wall was visually appealing, two local art students were invited to create a mural allowing visitors to input their responses within a wider design. The design displayed two children playing, each holding balloons forming areas where visitors could write. 

The responses showcased an inspiring thread of dedication, support and a desire to make a difference. Some of the common themes found were: 

1. Making a difference: shaping lives and inspiring future generations 
2. Love for children: joy and fulfilment derived from working with children 
3. Support and safety: providing safe, nurturing and supportive environments 
4. Inspiration and empowerment: empowering children to be confident and creative 
5. Community and belonging: creating communities where children and educators have a sense of belonging 
6. Awareness of SEND and diversity: supporting children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) and promoting diversity and cultural awareness 
   
   

Breakdown of Reasons  

Across these themes, we identified the key areas into which the responses can be categorised. Below is each theme, along with example quotes taken directly from the wall: 

Educational Impact:  

• “To shape and inspire minds.” 

• “To make a difference in every child’s life and to be their trusted safe person.” 

• “To inspire the next generation of students.”