Practicums are underway for high school students in the Early Childhood Education Assistant program. The Burnaby School District-created program allows students to earn their BC Early Childhood Education Assistant Certificate to practice and is the first of its kind in BC with classes led by a school district.
The innovative program is held at Burnaby North Secondary and offers students an experience that used to have to wait until post-secondary. Additionally, participants earn credit toward graduation, are supported in their career paths, and it helps the community’s need for more qualified early childhood education workers.
Students in the program participate in work experience of up to 120 hours in licensed Early childhood Education settings. When they’ve finished and graduated high school, they also get preferred seating for the full ECE program at the District’s adult education program, .
The voices of two students doing their practicums were featured by news outlets reporting on the program: Batoul, who is in Grade 12 at Cariboo Hill Secondary, and Felipe, who is in Grade 11 at Burnaby Mountain Secondary. Both are working with children aged 3 to 5 while completing their work experience at the SFU Childcare Society.
Applications for the fall cohort open in the new year. Interested students are encouraged to connect with their school’s career education advisor or school counsellor.
Read the Stories in the Media
Vancouver Sun, November 24, 2023
Burnaby Beacon, November 20, 2023
Today in BC, November 20, 2023
The Hamilton Spectator, November 20, 2023
Burnaby Now, March 1, 2023
Posted November 2023