Program Overview
The Associate of Applied Science degree in Occupational Development-Child Care Specialist is designed to provide special career training for those individuals who have completed or are in the process of completing a Registered Apprenticeship Program (RAP) in Child Development through the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Apprenticeship.
Our program carries an apprenticeship requirement, which integrates into the formal higher education curriculum of academically sound “Registered Apprenticeship Programs” (RAPs), which are recommended by the United States Bureau of Apprenticeship and Training (BAT). For guidance completing the apprenticeship portion of the program, contact the local United States Bureau of Apprenticeship Coordinator and refer them to the Apprenticeship for Child Development Specialist website at www.wvacds.org.
There is a growing need in the United States for childcare at daycare centers. Some employers are making a collaborative effort to provide dependent care for their employees by establishing centers or expanding existing ones. Job opportunities for this degree include employment in community childcare facilities and in individual homes.
Students in the Occupational Development Program are subject to the Blue Ridge Community and Technical College’s requirements for admissions. Apprenticeship credits are posted after completion of General Education courses are completed and upon submission of the appropriate documentation from the Department of Labor.
Program Outcomes
- Prepare students for employment as pre-school teachers, aids in schools, or other pre-school programs serving children birth to age 6.
- Apply theories of early childcare with practical applications.
- Implement age appropriate curriculum and classroom activities.
- Prepare to assume supervision roles in an early childcare facility.
- Maintain childcare facility records in accordance with West Virginia and Federal Law requirements.
- Apply professional written and spoken communication skills with staff and parents.
Career Opportunities
Upon degree completion, students may enjoy increased wages and solid job security. You will be qualified to seek a fulfilling career in childcare facilities as a director or as a classroom aide in an elementary school.
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