Early Care & Education

A Career in Early Care & Education

With a combination of classroom instruction and supervised hands-on experience, the program prepares students for direct entry into a variety of early care and education positions. It also provides students headed toward a bachelor’s degree in education with a convenient, affordable way to get started. Plus the knowledge at PTC will transfer seamlessly to some of South Carolina’s top education programs as you work toward teacher certification in South Carolina.

If you’re headed toward a bachelor’s degree in early childhood education, you can start with our Early Care and Education program and save on tuition. You can begin here and finish your education degree at the University of South Carolina, Lander University, Clemson University, Columbia College, Newberry College, USC Aiken or Southern Wesleyan University.

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Career Quick Facts

Career Outlook

• 100% placement rate for 2022-2023 graduates
• Employment of preschool teachers is expected to grow by 12% through 2026
• Start work toward an Early Childhood Education Bachelor's degree.

Physical Demands

• handling, lifting, carrying, and positioning of children manually into strollers, walkers, moveable cribs, high chairs, infant seats, and infant swings
• intermittent sitting in adult and child size chairs,
• sitting on the floor and rising from the floor
• standing, walking, possibly running
• frequent reaching and lifting, carrying, and bending
• possible use of and exposure to antibacterial cleaning solutions, and exposure to weather elements
• use of both hands to handle children and objects
• use of both feet to move children and objects.

Entry Level Positions

• Childcare Workers
• Preschool Teachers
• Childcare Center Directors

List of Employers

Recent graduates have found work at:

• Abbeville County School District
• ABC Academy
• Aiken County Public Schools
• Angels Child Development Center
• Back to the Basics
• Boundary Street Elementary School
• Boys and Girls Clubs
• Children's Courtyard
• Clinton School District 56
• Creative Kids
• District 50 Early Childhood Center
• Dowd's Child Care
• Edgefield County School District 
• Family YMCA of Greater Laurens
• First Baptist Church
• GLEAMNS - Head Start Program
• Greenwood District 50
• Greenwood District 51
• Greenwood District 52
• Kelly Miller Elementary School
• Kiddy Korner
• Kid's Korner
• Kids 'N' Company
• Kids Under Construction
• Kids Unlimited Daycare
• Kids World Ministry
• Laurens County School District 55
• Lifelong Learning
• Little Angels Daycare
• Little Folks Childcare
• Little Lamb Daycare
• McCormick School District
• Millie's House Childcare
• Mudpies
• New Prospect Baptist Church
• Newberry Academy
• Newberry County School District
• Park Place Children's Center
• Pooh's Corner Daycare
• Self Regional Healthcare
• South Carolina Department of Social Services
• South Main Street Baptist Church
• Stepping Stones Learning Academy
• Sunshine Barn Daycare
• Sunshine House
• The Children's Garden
• Thornwell Home for Children
• YMCA of Laurens
• Young World

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Program Information

The program offers two associate degrees: a major in Early Care and Education and a major in Early Care and Education with a concentration in Infant and Toddler Care. In addition there are two certificate programs designed for those who’d like to complete a credential more quickly.

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Early Care and Education Graduate Outcomes

The T.E.A.C.H. Program: A Great Opportunity for Child Care Workers

The T.E.A.C.H. program is a great way for people already working in child care to go back to school. In many cases the program allows people to continue their education at Piedmont Tech at no cost, and even to move on to a bachelor’s degree program at little to no cost.

For individuals working a minimum number of hours per week in a child care program licensed or registered with the South Carolina Department of Social Service, the T.E.A.C.H. Early Childhood Project provides scholarships to complete course work in early childhood education courses toward the South Carolina Early Childhood Credential, a Certificate, a Diploma, or an Associate Degree in Early Childhood Education.  

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