A degree in early childhood development helps you build skills needed to educate children during their formative years. With this qualification, you get to help young children cultivate healthy habits in a stable learning environment that fosters growth.

As you can tell, working with children is a rewarding experience and a career in this field provides boundless opportunities.

Here are the seven best careers in early childhood development:

Career #1: Preschool Teacher

A child’s early years in kindergarten shapes some of their experiences in grade school. Preschool teachers help children build formative communication and academic skills in a nurturing environment.

Some primary duties for this role are organizing daily activities, reading, and providing basic care to preschool children. As a preschool teacher, you’ll also build lesson plans to help introduce the children to new concepts like arithmetics and geography.

Some employers require a Bachelor’s Degree for this role, while others insist on Master’s Degree holders. The average entry-level pay for preschool teachers is $18 per hour.

Career #2: Homecare Service Provider

Homecare service provider is a great choice for a career in early childhood development. Popularly referred to as nannies, home care service providers maintain safe learning within the confines of the home. With early education, many parents and guardians opt for learning within the home environment. This is where this role comes in, by combining the services of a traditional school system with the values of the home.

From nutrition to activity learning, the employer decides the primary duties of their home care service provider. Compared to other roles, this position comes with flexible hours. The number of children and billable hours largely determines the wage a home care service provider would earn.

Career #3: Early Childhood Assistant

Early childhood assistants cater to children within daycare and school settings. However, in this role, you’ll report to the lead teacher in charge. The job requirements also vary depending on the institution since it’s an entry-level position.

The primary responsibilities of an early childhood assistant include helping children with upkeep, monitoring them, supervising their transportation, and assisting with basic functions.

You can get an early childhood education assistant certificate online to become qualified for this role. Specializing in early childhood assistance could land you a job in daycare centers, private preschools, and pre-kindergarten settings.

Career #4: Special Education Teacher

A special education teacher works with children who have a wide range of disabilities, from cognitive to learning disabilities. Children with special needs require specific professional care to help them reach their potential. This is where special education professionals excel.

Similar to preschool teachers, these teachers also plan school activities, assign tasks, and provide basic care to the children. As a special education teacher, your role will also involve changing the curriculum to suit each child’s individual special needs.

While many teachers in this field specialize in early education, there are opportunities available to instruct special need students in elementary and high schools. To build a career in this department, you’ll need a Master’s Degree in Special Education.

Career #5: Educational Consultant

In this role, you don’t work directly with children. However, the role affords you the opportunity of providing analysis and reports that positively affect the formative lives of children. If you’d rather focus on the administrative aspect of early education, this would be the perfect career path for you. This profession covers a broad spectrum from elementary education to special needs services.

As an education consultant, you’ll be working in collaboration with teachers and school leaders. The role involves organizing educational workshops, developing teaching materials, and helping schools enforce the best systems for their students.

Career #6: Child Psychologist

If you’re wondering what else your degree offers beyond teaching, there are many roles available for you like child psychology. While preschool teachers focus on literacy skills, child psychologists help children build social and academic skills they won’t learn in classroom settings.

From time management to bullying, this role provides an insight into guiding children towards their full potential. Child psychologists also team up with teachers and guardians to map out the best approach to solving any issues that may arise.

This role is not limited to schools. In fact, potential employers might include religious institutions, health care services, and many more. You’ll require a postgraduate degree in child psychology or counseling to advance in this field.

Career #7: Childcare Center Director

A childcare center director supervises the daily operations of a daycare center, preschool or other early childhood facilities. They’re responsible for training staff and establishing standard practices within the school. They also oversee budget planning, career counselling, staff evaluation and communications. Although they don’t directly handle childcare, they’re indirectly responsible for the welfare of the children in their facilities.

This role requires a great deal of attention and people management. You’ll not only be in charge of administrative duties, but also building relationships with parents.

Child care center directors typically have substantial experience in early childhood services. The basic educational requirement for this role is a Bachelor’s Degree. Here, your work experience and licensure would be the biggest advantage in the job market.