Early Childhood Education

Employment in the child care industry will grow well into the future. Potential jobs may include:

• Owner/Operator of family or group child care centers.
• Director/Manager of family or group child care centers.
• Preschool Teacher in a preschool setting licensed by the department of health and family services.
• Child Care Teacher in a licensed center.
• Exceptional Needs Aide in special education programs.
• In-Home Provider/Nanny.
• May transfer completed ECE associate degree to some universities.

Students entering the Early Childhood Education program should:

• Have a warm and pleasant personality.
• Like working with children and adults.
• Be self-directed and organized.
• Have good management skills.

• Good language, math, reading, and keyboarding skills.
• Family and consumer education courses in high school.

At completion of this program, graduates will be able to:

• Apply child development theory to practice.
• Observe, record, and assess child growth and development.
• Implement developmentally appropriate curriculum.
• Incorporate developmentally appropriate guidance strategies.
• Integrate health, safety, and nutrition practices according to local, state, and national standards.
• Provide a respectful, diverse, and inclusive program.
• Use interpersonal skills to develop respectful relationships with children and adults.
• Demonstrate professional and ethical standards.
• Advocate for children, families, and the profession.

• Associate degree, requiring a minimum of two years to complete.
• Day classes.
• High school articulation and college transfer courses accepted.
• Financial aid available.
• Classes start in August.
• Advanced standing for early childhood experience may be granted.

Note: Students must provide their own transportation to and from a supervised participation site.

• Health Physical (must use SWTC forms) including a 2 step TB test the first year and a TB test each year after.
• Annual Background Check $12.00.
• Security swipe card $5.00 (will get money back when the card is returned).
• Program Name Tag $3.00 .

• Complete required assessment testing.
• Complete the application form.
• Interview with counselor.
• Pay a $30 nonrefundable application fee.
• Submit high school and any post-secondary transcripts.
• Complete the physical exam, provide documentation of a recent TB Skin test, and meet health requirements as approved by the College Health Educator, prior to enrollment in any supervised participation classes/activities. Students are responsible for ALL costs associated with meeting these requirements.
• Meet Caregiver Background Check requirement (cost of $12.00 paid by the student).
• Students may re-apply to be admitted to a program for which they initially do not meet the Student Academic Achievement Plan (SAAP) criteria after they follow the additional courses and alternate program sequence prescibed for them.

• CPR/First Aid is a graduation requirement for all students.