RCTC is holding an informational gathering on March 15 from 11-1:30 near door 6, here at Mayo High School, for those interested in Early Childhood Education careers.

If you enjoy working with kids and want that to be your career path then get ahead and start now; come down to door 6, and find out more about this profession. The RCTC website explains that their “undergraduate tuition is roughly $212.71 per credit, $6,000 per year, or $12,000 for a two-year degree” (RCTC Web). Once you have completed your two-year degree at RCTC, you will have an associate degree in early childhood education which earns roughly $35,000 a year, or you can transfer to another college and spend another 2-6 years for a more advanced degree. These more advanced degrees like “a 4-year or a 6-year degree could cost anywhere from $8,000-$15,000 per year” depending on which school and degree you’re going after (CareerExplore.com). 

Ms. Jamie Johnson, Mayo’s RCTC coordinator, helps students apply to RCTC, sign up for classes, and manage their schedules between RCTC and Mayo. This career path isn’t for everyone, and Ms. Johnson agrees that it’s demanding work, “since being around kids all day long [is] hard. It’s hard to multitask and do everything all at the same time. It’s hard to meet everybody’s needs while maintaining your own.” It’s important to remember that these little students are competent, curious, and powerful learners. It requires a vast number of skills such as “observation, listening, communication, reflection, analysis, decision-making, and planning (RCTC Web).” In fact, sometimes, the role of an early childhood educator is to promote children’s learning through a play-based curriculum. This makes the practice of teaching young children very complex. However, with time and experience in college, you will gradually learn and master all these skills, leading to a very fulfilling, meaningful vocation.

Jobs for Early Childhood education are growing rapidly in and out of Minnesota with a “19% projected growth rate in Minnesota by 2030 and a projected growth rate of 3% in the United States by 2032 (MN.gov).” Since the demand is so great, if you have a passion for school and learning, then you should seriously consider this career path, and you can find out more by going down to door 6 at 11:00 on Friday, March 15th, to discover all the details. Let your teaching journey begin today.