Here's what to expect from Capital College's ECE certificate courses
Have you dreamed of working with children for your career? Perhaps a career as an Early Childhood Educator (ECE) is in your future!
ECEs help shape the young minds of our children when they’re going through a rapid period of brain growth (ages 0-5). Capital College’s popular ECE programs help prepare you for this challenging and rewarding career.
Keep reading to learn what to expect in a career as an ECE and how Capital College’s ECE Certificate courses can help you.
What is an ECE?
An ECE specializes in learning, development, and well-being for children up to age 5. They may work in childcare or preschool settings and are part of a regulated profession (Community Care and Assisted Living Act and the Child Care Licensing Regulation) in British Columbia.
To pursue a career as an ECE, you can earn an ECE Assistant Certificate in as little as five weeks. In this program, you take the base program and choose one of three possible elective specialties.
Earn your one-year ECE certificate from Capital College in one year (52 weeks). This course includes 434 practicum hours, so you get real experience in a childcare or early learning school setting.
If you want to advance your ECE education at the infant/toddler level, our 80-week ECE program will earn you an ECE Diploma. It includes 669 practicum hours.
To work as an ECE in BC, you need to take an approved ECE course, and Capital College’s courses are accepted schools.
What to expect in ECE courses at Capital College
Capital College’s courses may be different from those at other schools you’ve attended. Here’s what to expect from Capital College ECE courses.
Course format
Our popular ECE courses are hybrid, with some instruction online and some in-person classes. Your practicum hours are always in person at a local childcare centre or early learning school.
Practicum hours
The experience you get in the classroom helps prepare you for practicums, and your practicum prepares you for your first job in the industry. An internship allows you to practice what you learn in real settings, and it could increase your chances of getting a job upon graduation. General post-secondary internship stats show that 68% of students who do an internship get hired by that company.
At Capital College, we have allotted a large part of our ECE courses to practicum hours:
- Early Childhood Education Diploma – 669 hours
- Early Childhood Education – 434 hours
- Early Childhood Education Infant and Toddler – 235 hours
English skill requirement
Capital College’s ECE programs are taught in English. If you’ve already passed a recent IELTS exam, you can send that certificate with your application. If not, we offer English testing through TrackTest, which you can take from Canada or overseas.
TrackTest allows us to see the results of your English exam instantly. Most Capital College ECE programs require you to have: Grade 12 English/ TOEFL 500/ Computer 173/ IBT 61/ IELTS (academic) 6.0. Our Infant and Toddler course requires ESL level 4.
Instruction expectations
All courses are taught by educators with extensive experience in childcare, early learning, and ECE programming. They are an excellent resource and are available for questions about course materials or specific use cases.
Students are also expected to attend each class promptly. While some absences are accepted due to medical or other urgent needs, you must inform your instructor. If you are absent for more than three days in a row, they may ask for a doctor’s note.
If you miss 20% or more of your scheduled classes (in-person or online), you may not be eligible for graduation. In some cases, make-up classes can be available, but they are subject to teacher approval and availability.
Admission requirements
You can apply online from anywhere, even if you haven’t arrived in Canada yet. In addition to being at least 19 years of age, the requirements for each program may vary, but we’ll often ask for:
- Your high school transcript or transcripts from other educational institutions you’ve attended.
- Letters of reference
- A written interview
- A personal photo
- Photocopies of your IDs
- A valid, recent criminal records check
If you are an international student and plan to come to Canada for 6-months or more to study, you must get a Canadian Study Permit. Your study permit will often also give you a visitor’s visa and electronic travel authorization (eTA). Capital College can issue you a “Letter of Acceptance” upon acceptance into our program (you’ll need this for your permit application).
You can use this handy tool on the Government of Canada website to determine if you need a study permit or visa.
Financial aid available
For students needing financial assistance to attend Capital College, read our Bursaries and Student Aid page. You may be eligible for up to $500 bursary per course.
In addition, you can look for other scholarship programs and awards and apply these to your program. If you have questions about whether an external scholarship can be applied to your tuition, please contact us.
Graduation requirements
To ensure our program grads meet our high expectations in the workforce, we have several requirements before you can graduate:
- Complete all classroom assignments
- Complete all practicum hours as required
- Receive a passing grade (we consider 65% or a “C” a passing grade)
- A fully paid tuition
Ready to apply to Capital College?
We are currently accepting online applications for our most popular ECE programs. You can start your ECE program application online from Canada or internationally. Contact us directly if you have any questions about your application or our accredited ECE programs.