Center for Career Development

Students & Alumni -- Early Childhood Resources

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EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION JOB MARKET

Employment opportunities in early childhood education exist in a variety of settings, including public schools, child care programs, community and corporate-based early child care and education settings, and Head Start programs. Several factors will contribute to the need for early childhood teachers, including high turnover, low pay, a large number of career changers, and an increase in student enrollments. Opportunities for successful early childhood job searches are maximized for those who obtain licensure/certification and are flexible about the precise nature of their work.

Wages and salary vary depending upon the area of the early childhood field and geographic location in which an individual is employed. Additional information may be obtained from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

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JOB SEARCH RESOURCES

Below is a list of resources that may be helpful to you in your job search:

Web sites targeted to the education profession increase the efficiency of your job search. Below are several web sites targeting education.

• Head Start
  http://www2.acf.dhhs.gov/programs/hsb/

• Teacher Job Center - State by State
  www.teacherplanet.com/jobcenter/index.shtml

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EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION CERTIFICATION

Depending on the area of the early childhood field in which you seek employment, you may need to obtain one or more different types of licensure/certification.

The Massachusetts Office of Child Care Services administers multiple levels of license for individuals who provide child care in various settings, including group child care centers, family child care homes, adoption agencies, foster placement agencies and residential care programs. For questions about Massachusetts early childhood certification, contact:

Early childhood educators who seek employment in public schools

For early childhood educators who seek employment in public schools, you will also need complete the licensure requirements in the state you seek employment.

For questions about licensure/certification requirements in other states, visit the appropriate Department of Education web site or contact: National Association of State Directors of Education www.nasdtec.org

For general questions about the Massachusetts Tests for Educator Licensure (MTEL), go to Wheelock's MTEL website.

For questions about the application process for educator licensure, contact: Donna McKibbens, Director of Educator Licensure, (617) 879-2242, dmckibbens@wheelock.edu.