What characteristics and skills do I need to work in this field?
Child and youth educators must have patience and possess a genuine concern for children, and have a strong desire to help them learn and succeed. Child and youth educators must also have good communication and interpersonal skills when partnering with parents, children and other professionals to create a nurturing environment, respectful of culture and rich in experiences to promote the optimal growth and development of EVERY child.
Where can I work?
Child and youth educators typically work in schools and child care centers and out-of-school-time programs. However, to teach in the public school systems, you will need to obtain Professional Teaching Certification.
What does Trident Technical College offer?
The Child and Youth Studies department is dedicated to preparing students for employment in settings that include, but are not limited to, any part-or full-day program in a child care center, school classroom or home care that serves young and school-age children and their families, including children with special developmental and learning needs. Each career path and certificate is designed for the child care professional who works with or is interested in working with children from birth through age 17.
Accreditation
The A.A.S. Early Care and Education Degree at Trident Technical College is accredited by the Commission on the Accreditation of Early Childhood Higher Education Programs of the National Association for the Education of Young Children(https://www.naeyc.org/). The current accreditation term runs from March 2019 through March 2026.
NAEYC OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS – ECE
Annual Report 2022
View 2022 NAEYC Annual Report Program Outcome Data
Number of Program Completers
Outcome Measure #1: The Number of Program Completers
The number of program completers for the three most recent academic years
| Academic Year | Number of program completers | % of program completers who were attending full-time (at the time of completion) | % of program completers who were attending part-time* (at the time of completion) |
| 2020-2021 | 12 | 8.3% | 91.7% |
| 2019-2020 | 17 | 5.3% | 94.7% |
| 2018-2019 | 22 | 18.2% | 81.8% |
Program Name: AAS, Early Care and Education
Outcome Measure #2: The Program Completion Rate: Fall to Fall Retention
| Academic year in which a Fall cohort of full-time students enrolled at the institution (select three sequential years) | Percentage of those students who completed the program within 150% of the published timeframe | Percentage of those students who completed the program within 100%, 200% (twice) or 300% (three times) of the published timeframe (Please circle or underline the indicator above on which the program will report.) |
| 2018 | 28.4% | 29.8% |
| 2017 | 15.5% | 20.4% |
| 2016 | 14.3% | 14.3% |
Outcome Measure #3: Institutional Selected Data
| Academic Year | Number of graduates | Percentage of Graduates employed in the early childhood profession within one year of graduation* | Percentage of Graduates pursuing further education in the early childhood profession within one year of graduation* |
| 2019-2020 | 19 | 68.4% | 13.6% |
| 2018-2019 | 22 | 81.8% | 5.5% |
| 2017-2018 | 24 | 81% | 19% |
The number and percentage of program graduates employed in the early childhood profession or pursuing further education in the profession within one year of graduation for each of the three most recent academic years for which information is available.
*The figures in these two columns do not need to add up to 100%,
NAEYC Leveling Chart: Describes expectations for mastery of the Professional Standards and Competencies across the ECE I, ECE II, and ECE III.
| ECE I | ECE II | ECE III | |
| Expectations during preparation regarding depth of mastery of the competencies | Professional Certificate/Credential Program (at least 120 hours) completers are introduced to all professional standards and competency areas but are not expected to know and apply the full depth and breadth of them across the birth through age 8 continuum and settings. | Associate degree graduates know and apply the depth and breadth of all professional standards and competencies areas across the birth through age 8 continuum and settings, with a dedicated focus on young children in birth through age 5 settings. | Bachelor’s degree graduate or master’s degree graduate (initial prep) know and apply the breadth and depth of all professional standards and competencies across the birth through age 8 continuum and settings. |
| Expectations regarding responsibilities for practice |
Birth–age 8 Settings: Professional Training Program (at least 120 hours) completers can help develop and sustain high quality development and learning environments. Completers can serve as effective members of early childhood education teaching teams. |
Birth–age 8 Settings: *Associate degree graduate can be responsible for developing and sustaining high quality development and learning environments with staffing models that provide frequent access to ECE IIIs for guidance. Kindergarten*–age 8 Settings: Associate degree graduate can help develop and sustain high quality development and learning environments. Associate degree graduate can serve as effective members of ECE teaching teams and can guide the practice of ECE I. *In state-funded preschool programs (as defined by NIEER), provided in mixed delivery settings and explicitly aligned with the K–12 public school system, ECE II graduates can serve in the support educator role. ECE III graduates must serve in the lead educator role |
Birth–age 8 Settings: Bachelor’s degree graduate or master’s degree graduate (initial prep) can be responsible for developing and sustaining high quality development and learning environments. Bachelor’s degree graduate or master’s degree graduate (initial prep) can serve as effective members of ECE teaching teams and can guide the practice of ECE I’s and II’s. |
State Credential Requirements: SC Endeavors
T.E.A.C.H. Early Childhood Scholarship Program
If you are currently working in a childcare program, HeadStart, Early HeadStart or Preschool you may qualify for a T.E.A.C.H. Early Childhood Scholarship to help with the costs of tuition and textbooks.
Associate Degrees
Child Care Professional Career Path
School-Age and Youth Development Career Path
Certificates
Infant and Toddler Development
School-Age and Youth Development
Important Links