Program Spotlight: Early Childhood Education

Assiniboine’s two-year Early Childhood Education (ECE) diploma prepares you for a rewarding journey promoting the development of young children; guide them as they grow physically, cognitively, emotionally, and socially. The first five years of a child’s life are instrumental in brain development; you help lay the right foundation for lifelong success.

The importance of play is front and centre of this program. You’ll learn how to combine learning opportunities to grow children’s confidence, imagination, cooperation, persistence, and curiosity. Four practicum placements, collaboration with community partners, and industry field trips are woven into the diploma, ensuring you have multiple hands-on experiences.

Early childhood educators are positive role models in the lives of tiny humans who are learning important milestones. You get a front-row seat to the transformations, moments and skills that the children you work with achieve, experience and accomplish every single day.

It’s an in-demand career that keeps you active, youthful and constantly on the move—absolutely zero desk jobs here! No two days are the same as no two children are the same. Your energy, enthusiasm, sense of adventure, and desire for discovery will help you connect to kids ages 0 to 8. You may be tired at the end of the day, but your heart will be full.

Early childhood education means working with culturally diverse families, connecting with parents to establish trust and appreciation for the skills you are teaching their children. The work you do every day impacts our future generations. And that work can be done in government-run centres, private centres, at-home daycares, or after school programs.

Assiniboine’s diploma program is accredited by the Child Care Qualifications and Training Committee (CCQTC); graduates of the program are eligible for classification from Manitoba Early Learning and Child Care as an Early Childhood Educator Level 2 (ECE II). After you have been in the field for a while, you may also wish to further your career and continue up the ladder, eventually earning your Early Childhood Program Management (ECPM) advanced diploma to take on a leadership position (at the ECE III level).

The Early Childhood Education program is ideal for students who wish to coach and guide children, helping them to learn and thrive under your care. Your office is a playground, a crafts table, a gymnasium. It’s a high-energy place filled with routines but interspersed with moments of unpredictable, wonderful mayhem. If you need to be engaged and feel alive in what you do, if you want to be immersed in every moment of your working day, if you are generous, creative and easygoing, consider a career in early childhood education! To learn more, visit assiniboine.net/ece.