Early Childhood Education Assistant Training

Date
Cohort 4: April 21, 2025 – Aug. 8, 2025
Cohort 5: July 14, 2025 – Oct. 31, 2025
Format
In-Person
Location
Vancouver Community College – Downtown Campus
250 W Pender St, Vancouver, BC V6B 1S9
Cost
FREE
Date
Learn more in the “How to apply” section
Location
Online
Have Questions?
Call 604-443-8751
Email contracttraining@vcc.ca
Download the program flyer in PDF format.
Overview
Are you interested in building a career in childcare? This comprehensive 4-month skill training program can help you to become a skilled and certified ECE Assistant. It includes 12 weeks of classroom learning at Vancouver Community College’s downtown campus and four weeks of on-the job experience with a local employer.
Why join
The Early Childhood Education Assistant Training Program is designed to help you:
- Develop and improve occupational English skills specific to the childcare sector
- Learn guiding and caring strategies
- Understand trauma-informed approaches to early childcare and learning
- Develop job search skills and employment skills for success
- Receive industry certifications: FOODSAFE and First Aid
Additional financial supports may be available to cover wraparound supports while participating in the program.
Who it’s for
Participants must be:
- At least 18 years old and have a Social Insurance Number (SIN)
- Living in British Columbia
- Canadian Citizens; or Permanent Residents; or Protected persons entitled to work in Canada
- Unemployed or precariously employed
- Experiencing multiple barriers to employment such as lack of recent/Canadian experience, lack of basic employment skills, limited languages skills, non-high school completion, unstable housing etc.
- Have grade 10 English or Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) level 6 or above
- Able to pass a criminal record check including a vulnerable sector check
Priority will be given to recent immigrant and refugee women.
How to apply
To apply, all interested candidates must attend an information session. Please register for the information session here (select “Special Project: Entry to Early Childhood Education Assistant”).
For questions, please contact Alena Worster at VCC by using one of these ways:
Contact | |
---|---|
Email: contracttraining@vcc.ca |
Phone: 604-443-8751 |
The Early Childhood Education Assistant Training Program is a collaborative initiative between Vancouver Community College (VCC) and Pacific Immigrant Resources Society.

“Through this teaching class, I can learn how to effectively talk and play with children. For example, I need to imagine I am a kid and truly get the child’s thinking. Hope I can be a guide to lead the children in learning and playing.”
– Pathways to Childcare Careers program participant