CONESTOGA COLLEGE
Conestoga's early childhood education programs ranked as Canada's best

Conestoga's early childhood education programs including a bachelor's degree in Early Learning Program Development were ranked as Canada's best of 2025.

CourseCompare recognized Conestoga for having the top early childhood education (ECE) programs out of 22 colleges and universities across the country.

The marketplace for education serving more than two million prospective students from more than 100 countries each year "surveyed colleges and universities, employers and recent graduates, and carefully considered the breadth of certificate, diploma and degree programs on offer at institutions, to determine which schools are best positioned to shape the future of Early Childhood Education in the years to come."

Conestoga's emphasis on interactive classroom and work-integrated learning prepares students for professional practice in the field of early learning and childcare, CourseCompare explained in giving the college the country's top ranking. Students develop skills that enable them to work in collaboration with families, colleagues and communities to design, implement and evaluate inclusive play-based early learning programs.

"Students will work in partnership with college-operated child development centres, kindergarten classrooms, licensed early learning and care programs and community agencies to integrate classroom theory and practice in meaningful and engaging ways," CourseCompare wrote.

Students also have program options. Along with a two-year diploma, Conestoga offers a four-year

Bachelor of Early Learning Program Development degree, providing students with an applied understanding of developing early learning programs at the classroom and community levels. Students with an ECE diploma or a registered early childhood educator may also be eligible to bridge into the bachelor's degree program.

Conestoga's Bachelor of Early Learning Program Development is accredited by the College of Early Childhood Educators (CECE), and graduates become qualified Early Childhood Educators.

Early childhood educators are in high demand in Canada.

According to the federal government's Job Bank, Canada will have more than 100,000 job openings between 2022-2031, with strong job prospects in most provinces as the federal government continues to roll out its universal childcare program.

"Conestoga's Early Childhood Education (ECE) programs stand out due to their exceptional quality, driven by our dedicated administrators, instructors and work-integrated learning teams. Our strong partnerships with the Region of Waterloo Children's Services unit and other childcare providers support our student and graduate success and deepen their professional learning," said Carolyn Finlayson, a chair of Child Development and Education Studies.

"The strengths of our programs are also driven by our lab schools and their dedication to modeling high-quality childcare. In collaboration with our childcare centres, our students regularly align classroom learning with early childhood education practice. These elements collectively contribute to our national ranking."

Conestoga's two-year Early Childhood Education diploma program prepares students for professional practice in the early learning and child care through interactive classroom learning and work-integrated learning experiences.

The Bachelor of Early Learning Program Development is a four-year, paid co-op degree program that will provide students with an applied understanding of developing early learning programs at the classroom and community levels. The program will prepare graduates for a number of progressive careers that support children, youth and families in the areas of pedagogy, curriculum development, implementation and coordination, program development and co-ordination, and social policy work.