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Child Care
Associate in Applied Science Degree
Curriculum code 1264
Course Requirements                   Public Service Web Site


Moraine Valley Community College's Child Care Program will prepare you for a career in early childhood development. As part of the program, you will learn about the growth and development of children from infancy through age six.

The program provides management skills needed to work in kindergarten, nursery schools, day care centers and special programs. Emphasis is placed on creating a stimulating environment that enhances the physical, social, emotional and intellectual development of young children.

You will study how to plan and manage educational programs. In addition to classroom instruction, you will have the advantage of gaining experience in Moraine Valley’s Children’s Learning Center on campus.

The Department of Children and Family Services requires an Associate in Applied Science degree to teach in a child care facility. Students who plan to become early childhood teachers in the public school system need to complete a bachelor's degree, as well as state certification requirements. Moraine Valley's child care courses cannot be used to meet state teacher certification requirements and generally do not meet bachelor's degree requirements. Moraine Valley does have articulation agreements with selected four-year institutions. If you are considering transferring to a four-year college or university to obtain a bachelor's degree using the courses from this program, make an appointment with an academic advisor to review your options.

Recent high school graduates may be eligible for college credit for selected child care vocational skills courses completed in high school.

Moraine Valley Community College offers the Director Credential—Level 1.

Nature of Work—This program trains you for employment in child care and day care centers as teachers and directors. Directors must be at least 21 years old; aides and assistants must be 18.

Related Job Titles—Child care teacher, early childhood teacher, preschool teacher, nursery school teacher, day care worker

Employment Outlook—Wage and salary jobs in the child day care services industry are projected to grow 38 percent over the 2004–14 period, compared with the 14 percent employment growth projected for all industries combined. The rising demand for child day care services in part reflects demographic trends. Over the 2004–14 period, the number of children under age 5 is expected to increase at a faster rate than in previous years. In addition, the labor force participation rate of women of childbearing age also is expected to increase, though only slightly. This increase likely will cause more households to have both parents working full time, increasing the demand for some form of child care arrangement. As parents continue to work during weekends, evenings, and late nights, demand for child care programs that can provide care during nontraditional hours will grow significantly. School-aged children, who generally require child care only before and after school, increasingly are being cared for in centers.

Demand for child care centers and preschool teachers to staff them could increase further if more states implement preschool programs for 3- and 4-year-old children. Some states have already begun to implement this and others are planning to do this in the future. In addition, subsidies for children from low-income families attending child day care programs will result in more children being served in centers, as could the increasing involvement of employers in funding and operating day care centers. Legislation requiring more welfare recipients to work also could contribute to demand for child day care services.

Median Hourly Earnings of the Largest Occupations in Child Daycare Services, May 2007
Occupation Child daycare services Median Hourly Mean Hourly Mean Annual
General and operations managers $25.78 $30.14 $62,700
Education administrators, preschool and child care center/program $17.51 $19.51 $40,600
Preschool teachers, except special education $10.26 $11.05 $22,980

Resource: Bureau of Labor Statistics May 2007 National Industry-Specific Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates.
For job listings and job placement assistance, students may contact the Job Placement Center located in the Center for Contemporary Technology, T904, at (708) 974-5737 or at www.morainevalley.edu/jpc.

 
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