Early Childhood Educators are trained professionals who create safe and interactive learning environments where children develop social skills, build self-esteem, and become lifelong learners – making it an important and rewarding career in education. Prince Edward Island stands out as one of the best places to work as a certified Early Childhood Educator in Canada, offering competitive wages supported by both federal and provincial investments.
There are many career pathways in early childhood education, including:
- Licensed centres: Early childhood educators, pedagogical support staff, directors, administrators, inclusion support/special needs assistants, and autism assistants.
- Family Resource Centre coordinators.
- Department of Education and Early Years: early childhood coaches, inclusion and EAL/FAL consultants, policy makers, and licensing staff.
Find out more about the early childhood education workforce in PEI.
Becoming an Early Childhood Educator
In PEI, there are two diploma program options to become certified as an Early Childhood Educator:
Holland College delivers a 1-year Early Childhood Care and Education Certificate program and 2-year Early Childhood Care and Education Diploma program. The College also delivers accelerated programs to those currently working in the licensed system and wanting to increase their education credentials.
Collège de l’Île has converted its full-time early childhood program to an accelerated offering.
Apply for Early Childhood Education Certification
To be certified in early childhood education in PEI, you are required to apply for certification through the Early Learning and Child Care Board. Your early childhood education certification is valid for three years from the date it is issued. To renew your certification, you must complete the online form.
There are five types of certification that you can apply for:
Family Home Child Care Provider - Must complete a 30-hour course related to the care and education of infants and preschoolers, approved by the Board.
School-Age Child Care Provider - Must complete a 30-hour course related to the care and education of school-age children, approved by the Board.
Early Childhood Intern – Must complete a 30-hour course, approved by the Board, in each of the subject areas of child growth and development, child guidance, and early childhood pedagogy.
Early Childhood Associate - Must complete one of the following options:
- a one-year certificate program in early childhood care and education, approved by the Board; or
- a diploma or degree program related to human studies, approved by the Board.
Early Childhood Educator - Must complete one of the following options:
- a two-year diploma or degree program in early childhood care and education, approved by the Board;
- a degree program related to human studies that incorporates a two-year diploma program in early childhood care and education, approved by the Board; or
- a degree program related to human studies and a one-year certificate program in early childhood care and education, approved by the Board.
If you have completed post-secondary education in PEI, you can apply for certification online.
If you are already certified in the following provinces or territories, you may apply for classification as a child care worker under the Canadian Free Trade Agreement:
- Yukon
- British Columbia
- Alberta
- Saskatchewan
- Manitoba
- Ontario
- Nova Scotia
- Newfoundland and Labrador
If you are trained internationally, you can apply for certification online.
Financial Supports
The Steps to Success is a program that introduces underemployed individuals to the early learning and child care sector and supports their career by providing experience and training in a licensed early childhood environment. It is funded by the Department of Workforce, Advanced Learning & Population through the Canada-PEI Labour Market Agreements and administered by the ECDA of PEI. This program complements the accelerated learning opportunities offered by Holland College and the Department of Education and Early Years by supporting the backfill of staff participating in accelerated learning opportunities.
The Early Childhood Education Grant provides opportunities for the early childhood education workforce to develop and strengthen knowledge, skill base, and credentials necessary to provide excellence in early learning and child care.
Additional resources
- The Early Childhood Development Association of PEI is a provincial, non-profit organization committed to promoting and supporting quality early childhood development programs and services for Island children & families. Their website offers beneficial resources for Early Childhood Educators.
- Curriculum - The Early Learning Framework assists early childhood educators to facilitate children’s learning through daily activities. It supports and promotes each child’s well-being and holistic development – language, cognitive, emotional, creative, and physical. On PEI, it is mandatory for provincially designated Early Years Centres to use the Early Learning Framework. Click here for more information, and a link to the framework.
- Wage grid and pension plan for Early Childhood Educators - The current wage grid for staff working in Early Years Centres, as of April 1, 2024 can be found here. Employees working in designated Early Years Centres also have access to a defined contribution pension plan (DCPP) through the Early Childhood Development Association.