There are many careers a person can pursue with a degree in early childhood education. This type of degree prepares its holder for a number of jobs that involve nurturing children and helping them to learn. Someone with this degree may find job opportunities at daycare centers, preschools, and elementary schools. She may even find opportunities at camps, museums, and recreational centers. Essentially, the knowledge gained by earning an early childhood education degree may be applied wherever there is a need to care for or teach children from birth to about eight years of age.
Many people who earn early child education degrees use them to work in daycare centers. While many places don’t require daycare workers to have degrees, some employers are more likely to hire those who have earned them. Employers may advertise for childcare workers who have associate’s degrees in early childhood education, while others are willing to employ workers with certificates. There are even some willing to employ childcare workers who do not have degrees but have earned high school diplomas.
A degree in early childhood education may also prepare the holder for a job as a preschool teacher. As with daycare works, many places do not have set degree requirements for preschool teachers, and a diploma or certificate may be acceptable. Some employers, however, prefer to hire teachers who have earned associate’s or bachelor’s degrees in early childhood education or a related field. In fact, some employers require a minimum of a bachelor’s degree for someone who wants to be the head or primary teacher in a preschool classroom.
An early childhood education degree might also be preparation for teaching in elementary schools. In many places in the United States, a person with a bachelor’s degree in this subject may teach in kindergarten or the first three grades of elementary school. Some privately-run schools may hire teachers with less education — especially for instructing kindergartners. Teachers with associate’s degrees or education certificates may also find jobs as teaching assistants in both government-run and private schools.
Sometimes, a person with a degree in early childhood education may find opportunities in organizations that aren’t schools but still help children to have fun, learn, and develop. For example, this person may run an informational program offered at a museum or plan activities at a day camp. She may also use her skills and knowledge to work with children at recreational centers and churches. Someone with this degree could even visit family homes and offer tutoring or private educational services for young children.
