Is there a demand for Early Childhood Educators
According to a report by the B.C. Family Agenda, it indicates that in 2012 there were 274,424 children under 6 in B.C. The Coalition of Childcare Advocates stated in their Submission to the BC Select Standing Committee on Finance and Government Services, October 2012, that B.C. families are experiencing long waiting lists for childcare services. The British Columbia Early Years Strategy is to open 13,000 additional childcare spaces in the next 8 years. The above information indicates that there is clearly a need for early childhood educators in British Columbia. Not only is there a need for early childhood educators, but British Columbia Work B.C. used results from the B.C. Labour Market Scenario Model 2010-2020 to rate Early Childhood Education as a high opportunity job.
BC is not alone in their need for ECE workers; almost all of the provincial governments across Canada are experiencing the same situation and have rated Early Childhood Education as a high opportunity job.
In Alberta, where 1,700 Albertans are employed as Early Childhood Educators and Assistants, the employment outlook is described as above average from 2012 to 2016. Likewise in Ontario, the province has described the employment prospect for ECE workers as good. In Quebec, if the recent increase in birth rate continues, this will, like the other provinces sharply benefit the ECE occupation through to 2015.
The labour market outlook for graduates in all provinces remains positive on the coming years and there are a number of reasons for this:
- The number of child cares spaces continue to rise at a fairly healthy rate as the participation rate of women with children under the age of 6 has increased more than 150% over the years.
- Regulations across the country are changes and requiring day care centers to maintain a higher ratio for qualified educators than in the past.
- The birth rate across the country continues to climb and is higher than 10 years ago.
