Pathways to Childcare Careers Program

Woman playing with child

Date

Program intakes:

  • Winter cohort
  • Spring/Summer cohort
  • Fall cohort

Format

Hybrid: Online and In-Person (you will need to attend both online and in-person sessions)

Location

Burnaby, Vancouver, and Surrey

English Level

Intermediate (CLB 5 or equivalent)

Cost

FREE

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Know someone who can benefit from the program? Make a referral.

Overview

FREE 10 week Employment Training Program for women to develop job-specific skills for careers in early learning and childcare.

Upon completion of this program, you will receive your Responsible Adult certificate, which will allow you to work in licensed group child care settings such as before and after school care programs, in-home family centers, summer/winter camps, and more!

This is a FREE program funded by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).

Rana N., Cohort 10, Burnaby Location

Why join

Our Pathways to Childcare Careers Program provides:

  • Certification: Earn your Responsible Adult, Child Care First Aid and FoodSafe certificates.
  • Work Experience: Complete 80 hours in a licensed childcare center.
  • Occupational English: Attend classes specifically designed for language used in childcare. Learn vocabulary, regulations, and job search strategies.
  • Skills: Improve essential and digital skills. Develop pre-employment skills, such as interview preparedness and resume writing.
  • Knowledge: Understand early childhood milestones and trauma-informed approaches to early learning. Access information and resources to secure employment in the childcare industry.
  • Career Guidance: Access one-on-one employment counselling and connections to work opportunities in the field with our work placement facilitator.
  • Subsidies: Receive bus tickets and childcare for all in-person sessions.

Who it’s for

This program is for women that are:

  • Permanent Residents (PR) or Protected Persons
  • CLB 5 or equivalent in English (proof required)
  • Committed to attend the entire 10 week program
  • Have basic computer skills

My application was approved by WorkBC to study Early Childhood Education (Basic) with YWCA BC and a partnership with Sprott Shaw College. I will be studying full time for 1 year. This is really a blessing after graduating from PIRS last year as part of the Pathways to Childcare Program (Cohort 9).

– Wanessa Pattie

I’ve received a job offer and I will be starting next month! Thank you so much for teaching me so many useful things about the childcare field. Your guidance really helped me during my interview. Thank you again for all your help and encouragement, and I hope you can continue to support other students like us.

– Trang, Cohort 10, Burnaby location

How to apply

Please complete this form to apply for the Pathways to Childcare Careers Program. Eligible applicants will be invited to join us for our info session as spaces become available.

ALL APPLICANTS MUST ATTEND AN INFO SESSION TO BE CONSIDERED FOR THIS PROGRAM.

We appreciate your interest and encourage you to apply early, as spots are limited and filled on a rolling basis.

Please note: a Google Account is required to submit this form.

Register online

Questions?

For questions and application assistance, please contact us by using one of these ways:

Contact

Email: pathways@pirs.bc.ca

Phone: 778-608-4098

In partnership with

Woman wearing red sleeveless top, smiling

“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 program participant