High school students with career goals aimed at working with children have an opportunity to take first post-secondary steps through a dual credit initiative offered in partnership with Selkirk College’s Early Childhood Care & Education (ECCE) Program.
Available in four regional school districts, participants in the ECCE dual credit program are enrolled in three Selkirk College credited courses that also satisfy high school graduation requirements. During the first semester of their Grade 12 year, students are able to take a blend of online/in-person college learning.
“This program provides opportunities to develop essential skills in teaching and caregiving, and opens doors to future careers in education, childcare and child development,” says Tammie Clarke, the college’s dean of Health & Human Services. “This program also helps students build strong communication, leadership and problem-solving abilities, which are beneficial in any career path.”
A tuition-free program, students spend four months in the Castlegar Campus-based ECCE Program where they learn with other college students. Those who complete the program are provided with a start towards earning a provincial early childhood educator credential. After completion of the dual credit program, students may apply to become a qualified ECE assistant that provides them with eligibility to work in licenced childcare settings.
“High school students bring fresh perspectives, enthusiasm and diverse experiences to discussions and activities,” says Clarke. “Their presence fosters a multi-generational learning environment where they can learn from college students and vice-versa, promoting collaboration and mentorship. High school students often bring creativity and curiosity, which can lead to engaging discussions and innovative ideas in child development strategies.”
Building Confidence Beyond High School
Stanley Humphries Secondary student Hanna Waskul took a slight detour in her Grade 12 year as one of the dual credit learners who started at Selkirk College this past September. The 17-year-old recalls being very nervous on the first day, but the welcoming college environment presented by classmates and instructors quickly erased any early jitters.
“When it’s something that you are very interested in, it makes you want to do the work so much more,” Waskul says of her time in the program. “Before this experience when I thought about college, I wasn’t looking forward to it because it seemed like it was just back to school all over again. But when it’s something that I really want to do, I’m definitely excited about it.”
Having completed early post-secondary steps even before graduating from high school, Waskul plans on returning to Selkirk College in September 2025 to complete her credential and perhaps explore other pathways in the School of Health & Human Services. Emboldened by the experience in the dual credit program, her passion for a career working with children is stronger than ever.
After she graduates with Stanley Humphries Secondary’s Class of 2025 this coming spring, Talia McFaddin will take part in a global mission and leadership program for one year with an end goal of working in an orphanage in developing countries. To help build a stronger foundation towards her future working with children, McFaddin found the right fit with the dual credit program.
“It gave me confidence going into the future because I was really quite nervous about leaving high school and having to meet a bunch of new people,” says McFaddin. “Starting off fresh and having to make new friends in a new space, through the classwork it was interesting to see the relationships that I was able to make with people from other places and are different ages. It’s important to build connections where you are able to see how people live differently and connect with people on a different level than just growing up in the same place.”
Though entering a dual credit program requires high school students to undertake an extra level of planning, McFaddin encourages others to take a serious look at the pathway.
“If you are passionate about it, then fully pursue it,” says the 17-year-old. “There shouldn’t be any part of you that holds back because of fear or the unknown. High school students can become comfortable about where they are at, but to actually pursue something that you want to do, there is so much fulfillment.”
The ECCE dual credit program is available to students in school districts 51, 20, 8 and 10. Interested students should work with their high school counsellor to get more details on how to work the opportunity into graduation requirements. The application deadline for the program is April 18, 2025.
Learn more about the dual credit programs offered in a variety of Selkirk College programs.
Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) #3: Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages.