Where will I work in my early childhood education career?
If you are in the process of earning your degree or if you do not have a degree or a certificate, you can find early childhood education jobs in childcare centers, which used to be referred to as daycare centers, or in home childcare settings. Some preschools will hire you to work as a teacher’s aide or assistant. Some preschools or early childhood education businesses will help you pay for your education to earn credentials in early childhood education.
If you have an associates degree, you can start a career in a preschool setting. Preschool teachers can work in public or private preschool centers, religious schools and head start facilities. Many elementary schools have head start or preschool accommodations attached to their facilities.
A bachelors in early childhood education will allow you to work in a preschool or childcare center as a director, or you can work in an elementary school. If you choose to work in an elementary school, you will probably not have to work during the summer months.
You can work as an early childhood education instructor if you have a PhD, but some universities will not consider you for employment if you earned an online PhD in early childhood education.
Telecommuting is generally not an option in the early childhood education field as most work is done in a live classroom with children. There may be opportunities to give professional lectures or provide other online services after you build up your career in the field.
How long does it take to find a job in early childhood education?
Jobs in early childhood education are not too difficult to find since early childhood educators are often high in demand. People with online degrees may have more trouble finding work than those who attending traditional colleges.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that child care workers can expect at least a 20% growth in the next 8 years. If you do not have a degree, but still wish to work in the field, you should consider applying for teacher’s assistant or teacher’s aide positions.
If you are seeking a career in early childhood education, keep in mind that elementary school teachers have an average outlook for the next 10 years. You must have a bachelors degree for this position and certification for the state in which you plan to work. If you completed your early childhood education certification online, you need to make sure potential employers will consider your certification valid.
There are numerous careers in early childhood education for people who have a degree or a concentration in special education. Special education teachers can expect 17% growth in the next decade. Rural area school districts seek special education teachers who they can retain, which means school districts in these areas are some of the best places to find early education employment.
How have early childhood education careers changed over the years?
Early childhood education careers have changed significantly over the past 200 years. According to the National Network for Child Care, childcare centers really developed in the United States as a result of large numbers of immigrant and lower class children who had working mothers.
During the Great Depression childcare centers were funded by the government. These programs were primarily opened to give people jobs and not really to help educate young children. The people who worked in these early daycare centers did not often have any college education. Now, most early childhood education facilities require teachers to hold a degree or certificate. Many full-time childcare workers gain higher positions by getting their early childhood education certification online while working.
Early childhood education has aimed to meet the educational and developmental milestones of young children over the last 50 years. States have developed numerous learning standards and expectations that early childhood educators must meet. Early childhood education has changed because the quality of childcare has increased and become much more valued than in previous decades.
What are the top employers for early childhood education jobs?
Bright Horizons is a top childcare organization that you should consider whether or not you have a degree in early childhood education. Bright Horizons offers competitive pay and excellent benefits while helping you develop your early childhood education career. If you achieve a new degree or level of early childcare certification while you work for Bright Horizons, you will gain a 5% increase in your salary.
Knowledge Universe is another excellent early childhood education corporation you can work for. All Knowledge Universe employees are eligible for tuition assistance as the company wants to retain employees by allowing them to obtain more education. The company offers competitive wages and benefits, including benefits for same-sex couples and families.
Devereux is 1 of the most respected early childhood education companies that focuses on special education. You can seek a career at Devereux if you have achieved an associates or a bachelors degree in early childhood education or a related field.
Devereux will also reimburse you for continuing your education as long as you continue to work for the company for a specified period of time. Devereux will even consider applicants with an online PhD in early childhood education or other online degrees as long as they were obtained from an accredited school. In fact, Devereux offers much of their employee training through online modules and programs.