A shortage of qualified early childhood development staff, especially in the province’s Acadian communities may now be eased.
Université Sainte-Anne has received funding from the province to offer scholarships of up to $7,500, mainly for students specifically interested in a the early childhood development industry.
Marie-Germaine Chartrand, Director of College Programs at the university, says the $222,525 will be used to recruit and retain qualified people, particularly in Acadian and Francophone communities.
“With the new pre-primary programs coming in, we do need an increased number of these educators, so all the help that we can get to access training is greatly appreciated.”
The two-year online diploma allows students to acquire a Level 1 or Level 2 classification and prepares graduates to work in early childhood education in daycares and in pre-primary programs in schools.
“We are looking at helping students enroll in our program, and train them so that they can actually work in the field,” Chartrand said.
Chartrand also says the early childhood development environment has been experiencing a shortage of qualified staff, particularly in Acadian communities.
