Pictured are students enrolled in the Early Childhood Development program at Northeastern Technical College with their instructor, Charlotte Alford. Seated from left: Tracy Joseph of Bennettsville, Beatrice Young of Bennettsville and Caity Hendrix of Pageland; standing, from left, Peggy Johnson of Clio, Doris Ewell of Society Hill, Denise Horton of Pageland, Linda Gaddy of Ruby and Alford.

April 6, 2011
Early Childhood Development Is Rewarding Pathway at NETC

Beatrice Young of Bennettsville is a mother, a grandmother and a great-grandmother, so children have always been a part of her life.
 
When Young decided to go back to school and get a college degree, she explored the career pathway offered by the Early Childhood Development program at Northeastern Technical College.  
 
“I’ve always had babies in my house, so I knew I wanted to work with children,” Young said. “The Early Childhood Development program has prepared me to open my own daycare center.”
 
Graduating this summer with an associate’s degree, Young already has a name for her daycare facility, Young At Heart.
 
NETC’s Early Childhood Development programs prepare students to work with children and families in child development centers, family or group homes or agencies.
 
Employment opportunities include working for public prekindergarten programs, private preschool programs, child care centers, family child care homes, Head Start programs, child care resource and referral agencies, and in-home care provided to the children of a single family.

“With the increasing number of single working parents, or families with two working parents, the need for more early childhood professionals to educate and care for young children is growing,” program instructor Charlotte Alford said. “NETC offers both certificate and associate degrees that prepare students for a career in this field.”
 
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, preschool teachers had an average annual income of $27,450 and an average hourly wage of $13.20. The industry with the highest employment for preschool teachers was child day care services. The average hourly income for a career in that field was $11.81, while the annual average salary was $24,560.

The South Carolina agency T.E.A.C.H. awards scholarships and monetary incentives for students who enroll in the Early Childhood Development program. Students who complete Early Childhood Development (ECD) 101 with a grade of C or higher and become employed by a state regulated childcare program in South Carolina are eligible for a $200 “smart money” bonus.
 
NETC’s records show a number of students who are eligible to receive this bonus and have not claimed their money.
 
Students such as Young and Tracy Joseph, also of Bennettsville, followed the program’s small business pathway because they plan on operating their own day care facilities. They took business and computer courses to prepare for managing their own businesses.

Joseph worked for a factory in Rockhingham, N.C., but was laid off when it went out of business. She said going back to school has been a challenge but enjoyable.
 
“It has made me more focused and more grounded. It has been a great learning experience for me,” Joseph said, adding that her daycare will provide around-the-clock service in order to accommodate families who work second and third shift.
 
Alford said she has a growing list of successful graduates of the program, from daycare directors to Head Start teachers.
 
“The Early Childhood Development pathway is for people who love children, have patience and compassion, and exhibit mature judgment,” Alford said. “Jobs in this field are very rewarding.”

For more information about the Early Childhood Development pathway, call Charlotte Alford at (843) 921-6917. For general information about the college including application instructions, call 1-800-921-7399.
 
Admission applications for summer term enrollment at Northeastern Technical College are due April 27. Applications can be obtained and submitted at any of the college’s community campuses in Cheraw, Bennettsville, Dillon or Pageland, or online by clicking HERE. Open registration will be held May 11 at the Cheraw campus.