The Building a Strong, Mobile, and Sustainable Early Childhood Education Workforce project is a national initiative funded by Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) and led by Colleges and Institutes Canada (CICan), in partnership with the Association des collèges et universités de la francophonie canadienne (ACUFC) and the Canadian Child Care Federation (CCCF), to strengthen the recruitment, retention, labour mobility, and long-term sustainability of Canada’s Early Childhood Education (ECE) workforce.
Working collaboratively with educators, employers, post-secondary institutions, Indigenous and Francophone partners, workforce organizations, and governments, the project will develop practical tools, resources, and national frameworks that respond to current and emerging workforce needs. Key activities include updating the National Occupational Standard (NOS), conducting labour market research, developing career pathway resources, supporting mentorship and professional development, and creating innovative training opportunities to strengthen the sector.
Over the course of the project, participants will have opportunities to engage in national Communities of Practice, mentorship networks, labour market and occupational standards consultations, career pathway initiatives, and the development of micro-credentials and other professional learning resources designed to enhance workforce capacity and support career advancement across Canada.
Through these collaborative efforts, the project aims to strengthen the capacity of the Early Learning and Child Care sector, improve workforce consistency and mobility across jurisdictions, expand inclusive career pathways, and contribute to a more skilled, resilient, diverse, and sustainable Early Childhood Education workforce for the future.
Contact
For questions about the initiative or project activities, please contact:
ecepathways.parcoursepe@cican.org.
