With the shortage of workers for Early Childhood Education (ECE), training programs are getting underway to help those interested in the field begin their careers.
Sydney Dubetz-Zacharias, the Executive Director of Wee World Daycare, says that she believes the workÂ
"I have never had a day where I regretted my decision, being in childcare. Every day, I could go back, and there is something that makes me so happy and so grateful for what I do. It is the passion of what I have. I love supporting my staff and anyone we can to really take this career and run with it. There's so much you can do, and there's so much fulfillment and enjoyment."
The shortage hasn't gone unnoticed by schools who provide the training to enter the field either, as noted by Brittany Thiessen, the ECE Workplace Instructor at Red River College. She confirms that with the shortage, they are hoping to expand their reach by giving access to the course by meeting physically, as well as via the internet.
"We are currently offering both year one and year two of the ECE program in person, as well as simultaneously offering it online to some of our other campuses, such as Steinbach and Interlake."
Thiessen adds that the hope is that people will join the program to bring the ECE worker numbers more in line with the need, and also to continue to provide the full course in Portage.