The Early Childhood Education program involves a curriculum that prepares and educates students to become future teachers and educators. This program revolves around responsible positions in early child care from birth till age 8. With an ever-increasing demand for educators nationwide, individuals learn to work with children in diverse settings and environments.
Individuals who opt for this degree learn methods and theories related to teaching, which they also practice in real-life settings. Moreover, graduates are also prepared to become future leaders and care providers for the upcoming younger generations.
Choosing this degree as an Associate, Bachelor, or Masters’s program means that students will have to spend time off-campus and work in settings where they can implement what they have learned. If you are about to graduate as an ECE student, this guide will be helpful in terms of choosing a career that defines your personality and interests the most.
So, without further delay, let us get to the details immediately!
Types of Careers in Early Childhood Education
Do you love working with kids and enjoying your time with them? If yes, here are the ten best career options we have brought you. As all these career choices differ, you can easily select a setting that suits you best after getting a major in ECE.
- Teacher’s Assistant
If you have an Associate’s or a Bachelor’s degree, then you think about becoming a teacher’s assistant. Becoming a teacher’s assistant means that you will have flexible working hours so you can work time while you pursue your degree at the same time.
Working as a teacher’s aide can be beneficial because it will train you for a career as an educator or a full-time teacher. The roles and responsibilities of a teacher’s assistant include monitoring student attendance, checking assignments and tests, and assisting the teacher in making study plans for the month.
- Pre-school or Kindergarten Teacher
As there is a high demand for preschool and kindergarten teachers, you can apply to become one after completing the ECE program. Pre-school and kindergarten teachers are responsible for helping infants and toddlers with speech development and social skills.
With a median pay of $30,210 annually, preschool teachers in the United States witness better career growth than others. To become a preschool or kindergarten teacher, the minimum requirement is to complete a bachelor’s degree in an early childhood education program.
- Nanny
When applying for a nanny job, you can opt for a full-time nanny or provide part-time services to 2 or 3 clients simultaneously. For full-time care and supervision of children, a nanny can help the kids out with homework, different educational games, and even school projects.
However, if you apply to become a part-time employee, you will be expected to look after the kids for a few hours while the parents are away and help put them to bed or read them a story. Some families also require a live-in nanny to travel and look after the children the whole time.
- School Counselor
Available in schools for children of all ages, working as a School Counselor means you will get to interact with children outside the classroom. You can help them deal with academic issues, encourage them to learn the required skills, and school them appropriate behavior inside the school setting.
When the need arises, school counselors also meet with groups of students, help them sort out the problems that they are facing, and resolve conflicts such as fights and arguments. A school counselor needs to deal with children with a lot of empathy and care when they bring sensitive issues to them.
- Special Education Teacher
A special education teacher deals with differently-abled students that have various disabilities such as learning, talking, mental, and emotional. Also known as inclusive education or learning support teachers, these individuals help solve the specific challenges students face.
Special education teachers provide extra care and support through tailor-made education plans for students to learn quickly. Students who have completed the Early Childhood Education degree also opt for specialization in Special Education.
- Sales Representative
The primary role of a sales representative, who has completed the Early Childhood Education degree, is to sell and promote things related to young children. This can include art materials, educational toys, equipment, learning books, food, and cleaning products.
Sales representatives must have excellent communication skills to interact with parents or guardians. As they have an ECE degree, they have a plus point and can convince parents about the importance of what they sell. Sales representatives can also approach families through conferences, newsletters, or even work at a store.
- Childcare Consultant
Also known as an early years consultant, a childcare consultant has specialization in early childhood. They help children through the social, emotional, and mental processes, and every child can find high-quality childcare.
A childcare consultant also guides new parents through the childcare process, including how to hire someone reliable who can take care of their child. At times, childcare consultants also have a health license, so they have experience in both child health and community. If you want to become a childcare consultant, you can also work with different daycare centers and pre-schools to help them improve policies and regulations.
- Librarian
If you are interested in reading and always want to explore new books and learn new lessons, then taking up a job as a librarian would be a dream. With the requirement of a bachelor’s degree, librarians earn well and can be a great resource in guiding children about what they should read.
Besides reading themselves and giving suggestions on what to read, librarians also hold awareness sessions on the importance of reading. Librarians can also collaborate with preschool and kindergarten kids to help them develop a love for reading from a very young age.
- Childcare Center Director
To opt for the job of a childcare center director, individuals must at least have a bachelor’s or a master’s degree. They can also work in daycare centers, public organizations, religious institutions, and private or local schools. Besides simply being a part of an institution, childcare directors focus on managing the entire space and the educators who work there.
Child directors also have the job of hiring new teachers, ensuring those teachers are suitable for the children, and academic standards are being followed. Directors are also supposed to communicate with parents and assure them of the quality of education provided.
- Curriculum Developer
A curriculum developer is a person who designs the education material, lesson plans, and other regular activities for different age groups in the school. There is a specific focus on ensuring that everything has been aligned with the educational standards and that parents are aware of what their kids are being taught.
Curriculum developers also work with educators and teachers to create age-appropriate experiences to provide proper guidance. As curriculum developers are known to be experienced, they also work on policy-making for the students’ benefit.
Benefits of Choosing a Career in Early Childhood Education
Early Childhood Educators are in Demand
As early childhood educators are in demand, you will have a bright future career with endless opportunities and possibilities. With more and more parents wanting high-quality childcare, you can land your first job easily.
Different career options are available, so choose one that aligns with your goals and interests.
Creative Job
If you don’t want to pursue a boring 9 to 5, working as an educator or a teacher will help you bring out your creative self. As a lot is going on in the early years of a child’s life, you will get the chance to be a part of it and help with their development.
Along with teaching new children at their growth stage, you will be able to learn new things from them while you bring out your inner child.
Ensures Self-Fulfillment
If you have your own kids or have spent time with children before, you will know how good it feels to be appreciated by parents when you take good care of their children. Working as an educator will allow you to become a caring, responsible, and kind person, making sure that kids feel good when they are around you.
Also, if you do your job well, nothing will make you happier when you see the children around you laughing, smiling, and playing as they enjoy and learn new things daily.
Things to Look for When Choosing an Early Childhood Education Career
When choosing an Early Childhood Education Career, there are some key factors that you should look out for. This includes looking at the recent methods and strategies, updating yourself about them, and learning how to implement them.
Also, make sure you keep the requirements and needs of every child in mind when designing an activity; this way, you will know exactly what they want. Moreover, keep yourself up to date on the latest health and safety practices to ensure a healthy classroom atmosphere where every child follows the proper protocols.
Moreover, it is essential to have strong communication skills because, as an educator or a counselor, you will be expected to interact with parents and children as you help them sort out fundamental issues. The key is to develop professional commitment and continuous improvement towards any career that you pick so your career can flourish with time.
Conclusion
An early childhood education career can be challenging at times, but it becomes a rewarding career choice if you take an interest in what you do. If you pursued the Early Childhood Degree program because you would love to work with children, then pick a career that allows you to do that.
As an educator, you will be able to make a positive difference to both the children and the families as you help them transition to formal schooling and encourage them to learn and explore new things in the early years of their life.
Now that we provided you with multiple career options, we hope you can pick one that suits your personality, interests, and life goals.