CCBC Essex Hosts Early Childhood Career Day

More than 100 high school students and teachers from Baltimore County Public Schools (BCPS) Child Development Career Completer/Technical Preparation classes will converge on CCBC Essex April 10 for Early Childhood Career Day. CCBC and Villa Julie College students will join them for a program of expert panels, roundtable discussions and live entertainment.

Early Childhood Career Day, a collaborative event among CCBC, Villa Julie College and BCPS, provides information and materials on career options beyond teaching, such as child advocacy and family support. Students learn about internships and part-time opportunities available to them as they continue their studies.

This year’s Early Childhood Career Day occurs during “The Week of the Young Child,” an annual celebration designed to focus public attention on the needs of young children and their families, and to recognize the early childhood programs and services that meet those needs. The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), the world's largest early childhood education association, sponsors The Week of the Young Child.

“Qualified Early Childhood teachers are needed everywhere including child care centers, Head Start programs, as well as public schools,” said Gayla Sanders, assistant professor, Teacher Education at CCBC Essex. “Most students don’t realize the range of career opportunities that the field has to offer. Hopefully, Early Childhood Career Day will change this!”

Karen L. Roe, CCBC Essex program coordinator for Teacher Education, noted that students could start work immediately after graduation or go on to higher pursuits. “CCBC’s Early Childhood programs offer students the best of both worlds – the option of transferring to a four-year institution, or immediately going to work with an associate’s degree in Early Childhood.”