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Co-learner, Educator
In Canada, the federal government groups and organizes occupations based on a National Occupational Classification (NOC) system. This alis occupation may not reflect the entire NOC group it is part of. Data for the NOC group can apply across multiple occupations.
The NOC system is updated every 5 years to reflect changes in the labour market. Government forms and labour market data may group and refer to an occupation differently, depending on the system used.
Here is how this occupation has been classified over time.
2006 NOC
2006 NOC-S
2011 NOC
2016 NOC
2021 NOC
2023 OaSIS
Early childhood educators plan, implement, and evaluate materials, activities, and settings for children. They strive to meet the social, physical, intellectual, creative, cultural, emotional, and developmental needs and interests of all children, including children with special needs. They encourage play-based learning rooted in children’s interests and foster their desire to learn. They establish routines and guidance for positive behaviour that:
They also:
Early learning and care programs are based on Alberta’s Early Learning and Care framework. The framework accounts for children’s interests and learning needs. Its goals relate to children’s emotional, intellectual, and physical well-being. It’s also meant to promote literacy, imagination, creativity, and social responsibility. Programs make use of individual, small- and large-group activities, indoor and outdoor play, learning centres, and outings. Activities, which vary throughout the program, are chosen to accommodate each child’s unique abilities. For example, a typical day’s schedule might include:
A well-designed learning environment for infants, toddlers, and preschoolers makes learning tangible through play. It includes ways to develop physical, emotional, creative, social, and intellectual skills through play, materials, routines, and interactions with other children and adults.
Activities at out-of-school care programs often complement what is occurring at school. They offer activities and materials that meet the unique needs of children aged 6 to 12. The role of out-of-school educators is to provide a safe, secure, relaxing, and fun place for children to go, outside of school hours.
Working conditions for early childhood educators vary widely. Small programs in approved family day homes may serve up to 6 children. Other childcare facilities may provide care for more than 80 children. Individual class sizes vary, as the child to educator ratio is based on age in alignment with childcare licensing requirements. There may be multiple educators in a given room.
Hours also vary. Most childcare programs are open from 6 or 7 a.m. until 6 p.m., Monday to Friday. Early childhood educators work a changing shift within those hours. Some programs may have different hours.
In comparison, childcare providers in family day homes generally work from 6 or 7 a.m. until 6 p.m., Monday to Friday. However, they also may work evenings and weekends.
In addition:
To keep up with children in their care, early childhood educators must be able to move quickly. They spend most of the day walking, bending, kneeling, and sitting on the floor and routinely lift infants and children. They must stay calm and collected during stressful situations.
In Alberta, this occupation is part of 1 or more 2006 National Occupational Classification (NOC) groups. If there are multiple related NOC groups, select a NOC heading to learn about each one.
Interest in instructing and guiding children in the development of proper eating, dressing and personal hygiene; in leading children in activities by telling or reading stories, teaching songs, providing opportunities for creative expression through the mediums of art, dramatic play, music and physical fitness, and taking them to local points of interest
Interest in handling to prepare and demonstrate the use of craft materials and to demonstrate the use of simple musical instruments
Interest in compiling information to develop daily activities for children; may plan and organize activities for school and children in child care programs before and after regular school hours; may supervise and co-ordinate the activities of other early childhood educators and assistants
To identify or change your interest codes, complete the Interests Exercise in CAREERinsite.
The interest code helps you figure out if you’d like to work in a particular occupation.
It’s based on the Canadian Work Preference Inventory (CWPI), which measures 5 occupational interests: Directive, Innovative, Methodical, Objective, and Social.
Each set of 3 interest codes for this NOC group is listed in order of importance.
A code in capital letters means it’s a strong fit for the occupation.
A code in all lowercase letters means the fit is weaker.
To fill in or change the values for your abilities, complete the Abilities Exercise in CAREERinsite.
A Quick Guide
You are born with abilities that help you process certain types of information and turn it into action. These abilities influence which skills you can learn more easily.
The abilities or aptitudes shown for this NOC group come from the General Aptitude Test Battery (GATB). The GATB measures 9 aptitudes. It groups them into 3 categories: mental, visual, and physical.
The abilities scores range from 1 to 5, with 5 being stronger.
To promote positive attitudes and act as role models for children in their care, early childhood educators must:
Early childhood educators should enjoy taking a creative and open-minded approach to their work and building relationships with people, especially children. They should be at ease taking responsibility for projects and supervising others.
In Alberta, this occupation is part of 1 or more 2016 National Occupational Classification (NOC) groups. If there are multiple related NOC groups, select a NOC heading to learn about each one.
This chart shows which job skills are currently in highest demand for this occupational group. It was created using this occupation's 226 most recent Alberta job postings, collected between Nov 30, 2024 and Dec 29, 2024.
Review these skills to learn:
| Tasks: Guide and assist children in the development of proper eating, dressing and toilet habits | 161 |
|---|---|
| Tasks: Lead activities by telling or reading stories, teaching songs and taking children to local points of interest | 145 |
| Tasks: Develop and implement child-care programs that support and promote the physical, cognitive, emotional and social development of children | 140 |
| Experience: 1 year to less than 2 years | 124 |
| Tasks: Plan and maintain an environment that protects the health, security and well-being of children | 123 |
| Tasks: Observe children for signs of potential learning or behavioural problems and prepare reports for parents, guardians or supervisor | 121 |
| Tasks: Engage children in activities by telling stories, teaching songs and preparing crafts | 116 |
| Tasks: Establish and maintain collaborative relationships with co-workers and community service providers working with children | 105 |
| Attention to detail | 102 |
| Construction Specialization: Reliability | 101 |
Educators in licensed childcare centres, out-of-school care programs, and preschools must have completed education in early child development or equivalent education. An equivalencies chart is available on the Government of Alberta website.
Employers prefer to hire individuals with a:
Early childhood educators need to understand child development and developmentally appropriate practices.
The following schools offer programs or courses that are related to this occupation but are not required to enter the field.
To expand or narrow your program options, visit Post-Secondary Programs and start your search with:
Completing a program does not guarantee entrance into an occupation. Before enrolling in an education program, prospective students should look into various sources for education options and employment possibilities. For example, contact associations and employers in this field.
Certain professional titles or duties within this occupation are protected by provincial legislation. Requirements vary if you use these titles or perform these duties.
The related legislation is shown below. If there are multiple related legislations, select a certification heading to learn about each one.
Early childhood educators work with infants, toddlers, and preschool and school-aged children in a variety of settings.
Under the Alberta Child Care Licensing Act [pdf] and the Child Care Licensing Regulation [pdf], staff working in licensed day care, out-of-school care, group family child care and preschool programs must have child care staff certification within 6 months of commencing employment and before having unsupervised access to children. Certification is also required as per the Alberta Family Day Home Standards [pdf] for staff working in approved family home agencies.
For information on what you need and other details, visit the certification profile Early Childhood Educator.
Source: 2021-2025 Alberta Regional Occupational Demand Outlook
Early childhood educators work in:
Experienced early childhood educators may advance to supervisory positions or start their own businesses. Additional education is a definite asset.
This section shows the industries where the majority of people in this occupation work. The data is based on the 2016 Census.
In Alberta, this occupation is part of 1 or more 2016 National Occupational Classification (NOC) groups.
Early childhood educators and assistants
2016 NOC: 4214
84.6% of people in this occupational group work in:
NOC groups often include several related occupations. Although there is labour market data for the larger NOC group, this occupation makes up only a part of that group. It means data for this occupation may be different than the data shown. For examples, see Note.
This section shows the short-term demand forecasted for this occupation in Alberta over a 3-year period. It also shows the number of people employed in the occupation.
In Alberta, this occupation is part of 1 or more 2021 National Occupational Classification (NOC) groups.
Source: 2023-2025 Alberta Short-Term Employment Forecast
NOC groups often include several related occupations. Although there is labour market data for the larger NOC group, this occupation makes up only a part of that group. It means data for this occupation may be different than the data shown. For examples, see Note.
To see data for all occupations, visit Occupations in Demand.
This section shows the employment outlook for this occupation in Alberta over a 5-year period.
Employment outlook is influenced by a wide variety of factors including:
In Alberta, this occupation is part of 1 or more 2016 National Occupational Classification (NOC) groups.
Source: 2021-2025 Alberta Regional Occupational Demand Outlook
Annual growth is from 2021 to 2025. New positions created each year are in addition to job openings created by employment turnover.
NOC groups often include several related occupations. Although there is labour market data for the larger NOC group, this occupation makes up only a part of that group. It means data for this occupation may be different than the data shown. For examples, see Note.
Employment turnover is expected to increase as members of the baby boom generation retire over the next few years.
Most early childhood educators are paid hourly wages that vary widely throughout the province. Income and benefits depend on the size of the program, the nature of the employing organization, and the educator’s level of training. Accredited childcare programs, and those working toward accreditation, can receive program and staff funding through the Government of Alberta.
In Alberta, this occupation is part of 1 or more 2016 National Occupational Classification (NOC) groups. If there are multiple related NOC groups, select a NOC heading to learn about each one.
Unless otherwise noted, the data shown here is for all industries and all regions in Alberta.
All wage estimates are hourly except where otherwise indicated. Wages and salaries do not include overtime hours, tips, benefits, profit shares, bonuses (unrelated to production), and other forms of compensation.
To see the full survey data for this NOC group, visit the wage profile.
Other wage sources
To make an informed wage and salary decision, research other wage sources [pdf] to supplement this data.
High Reliability, represents a CV of less than or equal to 6.00% and 30 survey observations and/or represents 50% or more of all estimated employment for the occupation.
| Wages* | Low (5th percentile) | High (95th percentile) | Average | Median |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Starting | $15.00 | $21.62 | $16.64 | $15.73 |
| Overall | $15.50 | $25.00 | $18.59 | $17.50 |
| Top | $16.20 | $32.16 | $21.97 | $20.00 |
Swipe left and right to view all data. Scroll left and right to view all data.
* All wage estimates are hourly except where otherwise indicated. Wages and salaries do not include overtime hours, tips, benefits, profit shares, bonuses (unrelated to production) and other forms of compensation.
Pay brackets for hourly wages
| ALL INDUSTRIES | $33,564 |
|---|---|
| Information, Culture, Recreation | $23,475 |
| Educational Services | $34,079 |
| Health Care & Social Assistance | $34,498 |
| Other Services (Repair, Personal Services and Related) | $30,975 |
| Public Administration | $32,565 |
Alberta Family Child Care Association website: afcca.ca
Child Care Staff Certification website: www.alberta.ca/child-care-staff-certification
Flight, Alberta’s Early Learning and Care Framework website: flightframework.ca
Get information and referrals about career, education, and employment options from Alberta Supports.
Updated Mar 31, 2020. The information contained in this profile is current as of the dates shown. Salary, employment outlook, and educational program information may change without notice. It is advised that you confirm this information before making any career decisions.
