Early Childhood Care & Education (ECCE) is designed to prepare you with the necessary skills, knowledge and learning dispositions to be provincially certified as an early childhood educator with a specialty in the care and education of infants and toddlers.

Curriculum is based on current best practices in early learning and care, reflecting the changing needs of children and families in the 21st century. The program focusses on transforming thinking about the education of young children away from the provision of set content to the process of nurturing creative thinking, problem-solving and relationships with and between children.

Theory is brought to life through experiential and place-based learning. The program draws on the strengths of individual learners as it provides a model for supporting the development of dispositions and practices which can, in turn, be supported in working with young children and their families. The program challenges learners to co-create curriculum with children and to design learning environments that embrace the diversity of all children and families including local First Nations, Aboriginal and Inuit peoples.

ECCE prepares you to apply for a BC Early Childhood Educator Certificate to practice in British Columbia. For more information, please refer to the BC Government ECE Website.

Duration of diploma program
The ECCE Diploma program is four semesters and spans two academic years. It is designed to accommodate both full-time and part-time students. There is an option to opt-out of the Diploma program after successfully completing the 15 courses required and be granted a CMTN certificate for ECCE Certificate Program.

There are a number of options for provincial certification. If successful, you can apply for an Early Childhood Education Assistant (ECEA) Certificate after taking one of the required courses in either Semester 1 or 2. You can also apply for a provincial Basic Early Childhood Education (ECE) Certificate after the successful completion of all courses in Semesters 1, 2 and 3. By completing Semester 4, you are eligible to apply for a provincial Basic ECE Certificate as well as an Infant Toddler Educator (ITE) Certificate. (Under the New West Partnership Trade Agreement, persons certified in BC as ECE or ITE can transfer your certification to practice to other provinces such as Alberta and Manitoba.)

Early childhood educators are in high demand in BC and the rest of Canada. BC’s 2025 Labour Market Outlook Report ranks early childhood educators in the top 15 careers with greatest job openings.

ECCE graduates have the opportunity to find employment in a variety of settings:

Group daycares for children between birth and 12 years
In-home small group or family childcare
Preschools
Programs such as Aboriginal HeadStarts (on and off-reserve), School Districts’ StrongStart, Supported Child Development (Aboriginal & non-Aboriginal), Infant Development, Aboriginal Infant Development and Family Resource
You may also utilize your ECCE education to obtain employment as an Education Assistant in northern BC Kindergartens and Grade 1. Municipal Parks and Recreation recruit those with ECEA and ECE/ITE certificates for children’s programs as well as other community services such as Transition (Safe) homes, Children Who Witness Abuse programs, and respite care homes and services.