Child Care Provider

What's the value?

The value of education is definitely not lost on someone like you—that’s why you want to dedicate your career to nurture a love of learning in children’s lives. But the higher education you may need to make your career dreams a reality isn’t always convenient. Familial and financial priorities can often get in the way of dedicating years to earning a degree. Life is unpredictable—in a few years’ time, you may have the flexibility to pursue your education even further. But in the meantime, there are other ways in which you can begin advancing your education now! In fact, you can earn an early childhood education (ECE) certificate in as few as nine months.1 ECE certification by itself can open quite a few doors to the kind of workplace you dream about. If your ambitions take you further down the road in education, then the valuable experience you gain as an ECE-certified professional can be a resume-boosting bonus. Take a look at the list below to learn about the realm of jobs with an early childhood education certificate.

5 Roles you can put an ECE certificate to use in

It’s true that obtaining an ECE certificate can open doors to a handful of rewarding careers in education. Learn more about the paths you could pursue with this credential.

  • Preschool teacher

    “Preschool teacher is one of the most common job titles for ECE Certificate graduates,” says Lauren Pierre, assistant professor of Early Childhood Education. Preschool teachers can work in a wide variety of work settings and school types, allowing plenty of options for teachers interested in a specific location, specialization, or demographic.

  • Teaching assistant

    “A lesser-known career option for ECE certificate holders is to become assistant teacher,” Pierre says. Some teaching assistant positions require an associate degree, but many seek out a minimum requirement of an ECE certificate. Teaching assistants work under the supervision of the classroom’s teacher completing various tasks.

  • Childcare worker

    This title covers a broad spectrum of job opportunities. Their work involves caring for children who are preschool-aged or younger. These ECE professionals are all over the place—in daycare and childcare centers, early learning facilities, nurseries, and more. The role includes basic duties like feeding, changing, and dressing children—but they also do much more than that.

  • Tutor

    This title covers a broad spectrum of job opportunities. Their work involves caring for children who are preschool-aged or younger. These ECE professionals are all over the place—in daycare and childcare centers, early learning facilities, nurseries, and more. You might be thinking, wait, kids need tutors at the early childhood education level? In short, yes! Whether through special circumstances or just regular early development, some children need or want extra support and guidance to prepare for kindergarten.

  • Personal care aide

    While most ECE certificate jobs are connected to schooling, this career lands a little more in the medical world. Personal care aide (PCA) is often a title you see in connection to caring for the elderly, but there is also a pressing opportunity to work with children who have special needs. An ECE certification can give you the qualification you need to join their ranks. PCAs often work in residential settings, going into a family’s home to provide basic care for a child when their parents are busy or when a child’s needs are too complex for parents to handle on their own.

Your job with early childhood certification

Now that you have a better idea of where an ECE certificate can take you—it’s time to start dreaming big. These careers only represent the baseline of the kind of work you can do. Are you passionate about getting kids in nature, learning about the seasons and the wildlife? Preschools, childcare centers or even your own in-home childcare center could make that passion part of your career. Do you feel drawn to children who face educational barriers in their development or ability? Working as a PCA or finding preschools that cater to children with special needs could put you right inside your dream job. Anything you would love to teach little ones—languages, nutrition, athletics, great emotional awareness—you can build into an awesome ECE career with just a little imagination. But it all starts with the ECE certificate. Get your journey started by heading over to the UPI Early Childhood Education Certificate page and learning more.
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