Centennial College, in partnership with Tropicana Community Services, is offering a unique opportunity for Black, African and Caribbean students to become credentialed early childhood educators.
Staff and students gather at Tropicana Community Services in Scarborough for the program launch.
The fully funded two-year Early Childhood Education - Tropicana Black Fast-track program will support learners from the Greater Toronto Area in a culturally affirming environment and reduce the financial barriers to help them achieve the credential and career success in the early childhood education (ECE) field.
Registered early childhood educators design curriculum for child-centred, play-based learning; support children's learning and development by responding to their unique needs and interests; create safe, healthy and inclusive early learning environments, and build caring relationships with children, families and communities.
Students in the program will experience practical learning through three field placements in the community, working directly with infants or toddlers, pre-school and school-aged children. Qualified supervisors will support learners during the placements to ensure students' learning is optimized. Opportunities will be available to work in full-day kindergarten environments in the third or fourth semesters.
"This new program combines the ECE program at Centennial, the hard work of Tropicana Community Services and critical subject-matter expertise of SACCAE Social Innovation Studio founded by Shereen Ashman," says Dr. Jaspreet Bal, Chair, Child and Family Studies at Centennial. "Coinciding with Black History Month, we're launching the academic upgrading component of our ECE program for Black learners right now."
"This program will have a lasting impact. Not only does it provide quality, hands-on training to Black students - a key to an enriching career - but it also gives back to our communities, meeting a crucial need for safe and nurturing culturally appropriate child care," adds Raymund Guiste, Executive Director, Tropicana Community Services.
Graduates of Centennial's ECE program will be qualified to work with children and families in childcare centres; work in full-day learning classrooms operated by Boards of Education; work in drop-in centres, shelters and community service programs; or open their own regulated home childcare centre.
The Early Childhood Education - Tropicana Black Fast-track program is funded in partnership with the City of Toronto, the Province of Ontario and Government of Canada under the new Canada-Ontario Early Childhood Workforce Agreement. Classes begin in fall 2023. Interested applicants are invited to contact ECEinquiries@tropicanaemployment.ca.
