Tuition-free training offered to early childhood educators in Saskatchewan

Early childhood educators in Saskatchewan will have greater access to training and professional development, thanks to a $12-million investment from the provincial government.

According to the Saskatchewan Ministry of Education, the investment – which comes through the Canada-Saskatchewan Canada-Wide Early Learning and Child Care Agreement – and a new partnership with 10 post-secondary institutions around the province will support both current and prospective early childhood educators by allowing access to higher levels of training and new professional development opportunities.

“This funding for post-secondary institutions will build upon the Ministry of Education’s 2021-23 investments in early childhood educator training and professional development with College Mathieu, Saskatchewan Polytechnic and Saskatchewan Indian Institute of Technologies,” the ministry explained in a statement.

“New this year is the expansion of training initiatives offered by Carlton Trail College, Cumberland College, Dumont Technical Institute, Great Plains College, Northwest College, Northlands College and Southeast College. These post-secondary institutions will deliver additional tuition-free early childhood education programming unique to the needs of their communities beginning in the fall of 2023.”

The new training and development opportunities include early childhood education certification, diploma courses for specialized training in autism, Métis cultural awareness, and Truth and Reconciliation, English language training, and job preparation.

Those currently employed with regulated child-care centres and those working as regulated child-care home providers and child-care home assistants will be prioritized, the ministry said, but prospective early childhood educators are also encouraged to apply.

“Training is key to building a strong, qualified early childhood educator workforce,” Education Minister Dustin Duncan said in a statement.

“This is an exciting announcement as we collaborate with post-secondary institutions across the province to bring training opportunities to early childhood educators and those who want to work in early learning and child care.”