Addressing a Dire Need for Qualified
Professionals
TORONTO, June 28,
2024 /CNW/ - Anderson
College of Health, Business and Technology is thrilled to
announce the launch of its Early Childhood Educator (ECE) diploma
program. The Early Childhood Education Diploma Program has been
approved by the College of Early Childhood Educators for a period
of two years (2024-2026) for the purpose of meeting the education
requirement for registration.
Anderson
College is thrilled to announce the launch of its Early
Childhood Educator (ECE) diploma program.
While the federal governments' 2021 Canada-wide Early Learning and Childcare Plan
is a significant investment to stimulate jobs and enable parents,
particularly mothers, to achieve economic stability and provide for
their families, there is a massive shortage in qualified ECEs to
support this endeavour. According to the Early Childhood Education
Report, "32,000 additional educators are needed to meet the goal of
serving a minimum of 59% of Canadian preschool-aged children within
the next five years." They report that an inability to access
consistent childcare leads to a parent's inability to return to
work or having to work fewer hours, impedes women's employment,
resulting in decreased earnings, thus decreased purchasing power,
impacting the overall economy. In addition, the lack of qualified
ECEs can directly affect children's academic and behavioural
development and overall wellbeing.
"From the outset, to become part of the solution, our Anderson
team focused on not only creating a comprehensive program, but on
ensuring all elements met the highest industry standards, from
curriculum development to the vetting of highly skilled
instructors, as laid out by the CECE," said Maral Delaviz, Manager
of Curriculum and Quality Assurance for Anderson. "We are truly
proud of our accomplishment, knowing that it will give our
graduates the credibility they deserve, and want to wholeheartedly
thank the CECE for their guidance and support."
"Our commitment to our stakeholders and students is to deliver
programs of the highest calibre that directly align with the
current demands of our communities," said Cheryl
Russell-Julien, Director of Academics and Quality Assurance for
Anderson. "We recognized the dire and immediate need for early
childhood educators, and we worked tirelessly to create a program
that, I believe, will powerfully address the real concerns families
are facing – by producing graduates equal to the purposeful task at
hand. I wanted to take a moment to express my sincere
gratitude for the invaluable guidance, support and encouragement
that the College of Early Childhood Educators provided Anderson College through the development and the
submission process."
"Parents and children in our communities deserve the best from
us; our response is to create an ECE program that provides
theoretical learning with hands-on training in state-of-the-art
facilities and to offer students a practicum, offsite with
potential employers," said Rose
Elia, Chief Operating Officer of Anderson College. "Graduates of this program
will have the skills and confidence to meet the challenge before
them; we cannot wait to witness the impact they will have in the
short and long term."
"There is a vast and real need for ECEs in our country; long
waitlists and a lack of quality daycare options with certified
professionals, not only impact a parent's ability to work, but a
family's quality of life and their children's sense of well-being
and development," said Heather Yang, President and Chief
Executive Officer of Anderson. "We are honoured to be a part
of the ongoing solution, providing future ECEs with the training
and support that meets the CECE's regulatory standards and allows
graduates to thrive in an industry that desperately needs
them."
While Anderson has offered an Early Childcare Assistant (ECA)
program for several years, producing hundreds of qualified
graduates to contribute on that level, Anderson College's Early Childhood Educator
(ECE) program is new to its roster and provides students with an
enhanced opportunity to expand their skills in this field. The ECE
program is 1762.5 hours, including 1200 instructional hours and
562.5 hours of practicum with on-the-job training, offsite with
potential employers. Uniquely, it offers three distinct practicum
placements to enrich students' practical experience and cultivate
their ability to work effectively with a diverse range of age
groups, including infants, toddlers, preschoolers, and school-aged
children. Courses cover the principles and practices of early
childhood education, child development, and effective
communication, are taught by industry experts, and blend
theoretical learning with hands-on training in state-of-the-art
simulated childcare facilities. Students will graduate with the
knowledge and skills necessary to work with young children in a
variety of settings, such as early-learning programs, childcare
centres, and schools.
Anderson is accepting applications for its Early Childhood
Educator diploma program and classes will begin in the next few
months. To learn more and to apply, visit
https://www.andersoncollege.com/programs/early-childhood-education/.
Anderson
College is one
of Canada's oldest colleges, having opened its first
location in 1885. Anderson has trained more than 100,000 students
over its 139-year history and continues to be an empowering partner
for students overcoming career challenges and transitioning to the
next phase of their lives. With ten locations
in Ontario and one in British Columbia, it is
recognized for its high-calibre faculty, hands-on, real-life career
training, and supportive culture. Visit
www.andersoncollege.com to learn more.
The College of Early Childhood Educators (the
College) regulates and governs Ontario's Registered Early Childhood Educators
(RECEs) in the public interest. It was established under the Early
Childhood Educators Act, 2007 (ECE Act), and came into existence in
February 2009. With more than 57,000
members in good standing, the College is one of the largest
professional self-regulatory bodies in Ontario and is the only professional
self-regulatory body for early childhood education in Canada. Visit www.college-ece.ca
to learn more.
*Find out more about the Federal government's Canada-wide Early Learning and Childcare Plan,
and review the details of the latest Early Childhood Education
Report.
SOURCE Anderson College