Navigation Through Ministry Dual Credit Expansion Grants
Licensed Day Cares are hard for families to secure childcare spots and just as hard to find qualified staff to work in these facilities. Abbotsford School District was one of the 51 districts in the province that received financial grant support from the Ministry of Education and Child Care to introduce dual credit opportunities for students interested in a career as an early childhood educator. Dual credit enables high school students to take post-secondary courses and receive credit toward both their high school and post-secondary graduation credentials. This employment sector currently has many opportunities locally and provincially with more demand than supply. The Childcare BC Plan has invested over $6.3 million over 4 years to help school districts develop, improve and support dual credit expansion in select employment sectors.
As part of this plan, Abbotsford School District has just completed a 3 year journey in the development of a Dual Credit Early Childhood Education (ECE) program through The Early Childhood Education Dual Credit Project. In partnership with Ministry of Education and Child Care, University of the Fraser Valley and Abbotsford School district, Abbotsford Career Programs now offers grade 12 student the opportunity to gain 4- UFV university courses towards their Dogwood graduation requirements.
Students who are selected for this program need to apply during their grade 10 school year. This allows students to work along side of their career and school counsellor to properly select the required pre-requisite courses within their timetable. This program takes place in grade 12 where students attend 2- 3 hour evening classes per week in both semester 1 and 2. The ECE department at UFV has been very responsive in engaging high school students in an adult atmosphere. Students take 3 UFV ECE courses as well as Comm 125. In support of this important initiative, the University of the Fraser Valley granted our high school students a prerequisite waiver due to overlapping semester start/end cycles between university and secondary academic calendars. Students are still required to have a minimum final grade of 68% in English 12 to continue the second part of the program.
In 2022, we had 8 students join the first ECE program and the 2024 intake had 18 students enroll! Program interest is growing as students share their positive experience with friends and family.
The benefit to our students is profound. After the completion of the first 2 ECE program courses, students are able to apply to the ECE Registry to obtain their ECE Assist credentials which allows them to work in licensed daycare in the province of BC. Part time work within the sector has allowed students to help support their program tuition to continue in this pathway toward a diploma or degree as Early Childcare professionals. As a result of the program, two students from the first intake have now entered into the UFV teacher education program.
Dual credit programs help give students the opportunity to transition to Post Secondary while still in high school. According to a recent Ministry report, Dual credit can help because students who participate are 7% more likely to graduate on time and 16% more likely to make an immediate transition to a B.C. public post-secondary institution. The most obvious advantage is that Career programs pay post-secondary tuition for all dual credit programs. Students and Families are excited to start early on their chosen career pathway while they successfully transition to post-secondary education.
To find out more about the Early Childhood Education program opportunities within the Abbotsford Career Programs, Visit:
https://careers.abbyschools.ca/node/101
To find out about other exciting Dual Credit opportunities within Abbotsford Career Programs, Visit:
https://careers.abbyschools.ca/apply/careers
Michael Pearson
District Vice Principal Career Programs