VICTORIA – More students in grades 11 and 12 will be able to earn both high school and post-secondary credits toward careers in early childhood education with the introduction of 30 new dual-credit programs at school districts throughout B.C.
Participating school districts will be offering these programs as partnerships with nearby post-secondary institutions. They will be funded by a $4.1-million provincial investment provided through Budget 2022 and $1.15 million in funding from the federal government that was provided in fiscal year 2021-22 through the 2021-25 Canada-British Columbia Early Learning and Child Care Agreement to better support workforce development in the child care sector.
Through this initiative, approximately 800 secondary students are expected to enrol in early childhood education dual-credit programs by the end of 2025. Tuition costs for the courses are covered by the program, meaning that students’ entry into post-secondary training comes with fewer expenses.
Since 2018, more than 30,500 new licensed child care spaces have been funded for families in B.C. It is anticipated that more than half of those will be in operation by the end of 2022. B.C. anticipates there will be more than 10,000 net new job openings for certified ECEs and assistants in the coming decade.
