Albany Technical College (ATC) will hold a special refresh presentation on Early Childhood Care and Education. The event will take place Thursday, March 31, 2022, at 10:00 a.m. in the Child Development Demonstration Center (CDV) on the east side of the main campus. Program refreshes are a way that Albany Technical College introduces existing programs to the community with a new perspective and provides fresh energy to the program, perhaps piquing the curiosity of those interested in a new career. Often, technology and instruction may have changed over the years and what is presented is entirely new information to the service area. 

The Early Childhood Care and Education Program is offered at the college with a degree (with five specializations) and a diploma path. Two additional stand-alone Technical Certificates of Credit are embedded. The program prepares graduates for a rewarding career teaching children of preschool age. Early childhood educators are responsible for caring for and educating young children. The areas of study within this career focus on cognitive and social development, including various activities that engage a student's abilities to flourish.  

"There is a higher than usual demand for early childhood teachers, and because of that shortage at this point, we know that there needs to be more students that can graduate and fill these positions available in the workforce. In most cases, when students are in the internships where they're demonstrating their skills and earning their hours, they're already employed," said Anthony Parker, President of Albany Technical College. 

Diploma graduates have qualifications to be employed in early care and education settings, including childcare centers and Head Start programs. Degree graduates have qualifications to be employed in Georgia Pre-K programs and elementary school paraprofessional positions.  

"We always ask our students what their interests are because we have pathways to Albany State University, Columbus State University, Georgia Southwestern State University, and Valdosta State. We find out their interest so that we can better train them. Some students are interested in owning a childcare center, and we have a degree for that, Program Management. Suppose they're interested in becoming a classroom teacher, possibly in the school system. In that case, we tell them that they should take the Exceptionalities specialization track that leads to the universities that we have articulation agreements with," said Angela Robinson, Dean of Academic Affairs at Albany Technical College. 

Child Development Demonstration Center  

Albany Technical College has an on-campus Child Development Demonstration Center where childcare services are provided for infants to pre-k. Early Childhood Care and Education students can work one-on-one in a fully accredited daycare setting throughout the course of the program. The integral goal of our Demonstration Center is to provide an environment for Early Childhood Care and Education students to gain and demonstrate their knowledge obtained from the course competencies so that they will be efficient as educators. The Child Development Demonstration Center is dedicated to addressing the emerging individual physical, social, cultural, cognitive, literacy, and developmental needs of children in an all-encompassing and supportive environment guided by dedicated professionals and the aspiring in-service teachers they are training.