Classes are available at no cost to get you started in your next career! Completing the Safety Saturday class will guarantee an interview for an available position with a Green County childcare provider.
If you are looking for an in-demand career, with opportunities now and in the future, early childhood education is a great option in Green County. If you’re interested in working in childcare, be sure to sign up for the Safety Saturday class scheduled for Saturday, May 1. Safety Saturday will provide the classes to help fulfill the health and safety requirements needed to work in a childcare program.
Early childhood education is one of the most important and impactful careers. Professionals who work in childcare facilities have the opportunity to make a difference in young lives and also influence future generations. Childcare providers ensure that children get off a good start in their lives and in their learning.
Early childhood education is more than getting kids ready for school. It provides for the development of a child’s social, emotional, cognitive and physical needs to build a solid and broad foundation for lifelong learning and well-being. Early childhood educators nurture caring, capable and responsible future citizens.
Research has shown that the most rapid period of brain development is from birth to age 5. Early childhood educators have the very important job of working with children during this rapid developmental phase.
If you have a passion for working with children, if teaching is your calling, or if you wish to find a secure career that you love, early childhood education might just be the answer.
Safety Saturday is a daylong workshop that will provide the initial education needed for a person to work in a childcare facility. Training will include: Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation Training (CPR), Sudden Infant Death Prevention Syndrome (SIDS), Preventing Child Abuse and Neglect, Preventing Abusive Head Trauma, and a review of licensing rules and regulations and next steps for working in the childcare industry. Taken separately, these classes would cost more than $100.
Safety Saturday will be provided online from 8 am to 5 pm on May 1. This class will be free and will also be provided in Spanish. Attendees will receive credits toward their childcare credentials. The class is limited to the first 20 who register. Training is provided for those who intend to work in a Green County childcare facility. A waiting list will be established for the possibility of future classes. For more information, and to sign up for Safety Saturday, visit the GCDC website at: greencountyedc.com. The registration link is under the Facebook feed.
Not interested in a career, but want to help?
The lack of childcare in Green County has been an issue for some time, and COVID-19 has brought it to the forefront. If we want to ensure our current and future workforce, now is the time to take steps to grow quality childcare in Green County.
GCDC has teamed up with United Way of Green County on these current grant-funded initiatives:
● Childcare Business Boot Camp
● Safety Saturday
● Mental health consultation for 12 Green County childcare businesses
● Monthly professional development opportunities specifically for childcare providers and their families
● Professional mentoring to match experienced providers with newer childcare entrepreneurs
What is still needed:
● Scholarships for graduates of Childcare Boot Camp Class
● Signing bonuses for graduates of Safety Saturday who are hired by a Green County childcare facility
● Bonuses for facilities that increase their Youngstar rating
● Bonuses for staff retention
● Scholarships for Credentials and further education
Childcare is essential for our children, our families, our workforce, and our communities. If you would like more information, or if you would like to help support the childcare initiative for our communities, contact Teresa Keehn at United Way of Green County at (608) 325-7747 or unitedway@pecbell.com, or Cara Carper at GCDC at (608) 328-9452 or cara.gcdc@tds.net.
— Cara Carper is executive director at Green County Development Corporation. She can be reached at cara.gcdc@tds.net.
