Opening doors to York Region Residents in Early Childhood Education

Qualified job seekers are being connected to the child care sector at Job Skills.

As the world recovers to the new post COVID-19 pandemic normal, the child care sector is attempting to rebound after being hit hard by staffing shortages. Job Skills’ brand new employment program is bridging the gap between  the child care sector and qualified job candidates.

The popular job searching site Indeed is showing 300+ child care positions available, so the program could not have come at a better time. “A steady stream of early-childhood educators who are exiting the profession at a time when demand for their services is set to dramatically expand. The federal government’s plan is expected to create 146,000 new child care spots by 2026, according to estimates by the Canadian Child Care Federation – and generate tens of thousands of new jobs for child care workers. But without addressing the work-force issues and staffing shortages already plaguing the daycare sector, provinces and territories may not be able to meet the requirements”, wrote Dave McGinn of The Globe And Mail.

Job Skills’ recognizing the shortfall that the child care industry was falling into, also saw the opportunity for internationally trained individuals and York Region residents wanting to return to the workforce, or enter the Canadian workforce for the first time. The Early Childhood Educator Assistant (ECEA) program will directly assist trained individuals reentering the child care sector, while connecting companies to qualified job candidates.

Newcomers to Canada have “difficulty adapting to new cultural values and changing work culture”, says Donna Hall, the manager of Job Skills new ECEA program that launched in July. Thanks to the funding provided by the Regional Municipality of York, the ECEA program is designed to assist Internationally trained individuals and local residents living in York Region who have a diploma in Early Childhood Education, family Support, and/or a bachelor’s degree in child development or equivalent experience.

The four-week program will focus on ECE training and the Canadian workplace culture. Participants of the ECEA program will also walk away with essential certifications; Standard First Aid, Emergency CPR, including infant and child CPR; WHMIS and Food Handler certificate.

Job Skills’ senior manager of newcomer employment services and programs, Deborah Tracy says that the ECEA initiative will assist participants to “acclimatize to the Canadian workplace environment by introducing the need-to-know information on policies, regulations and best practices in the ECE sector. Program staff will support program participants with interview and resume writing skills, networking, goal setting, and create a Return-to-Work action plan. Program staff will also support program participants with accessing employment in the child care sector, engaging in ECE apprenticeship training or further ECE education. Job retention and employment supports will be provided for 3 months.”

Individuals and businesses interested in learning more about Early Childhood Educator Assistant program can visit www.jobskills.org or call 1-866-592-6278