By Hayley Jackson, Extension Educator in Lancaster County
One of the most pressing issues in the field of early childhood today is the workforce shortage. Across the nation and in the state of Nebraska, there is a lack of trained, high-quality, early childhood teachers to work with our youngest learners (Buffett Early Childhood Institute, 2022). Within the state of Nebraska, innovative collaborations are taking place to address this shortage. One such approach took place in Lincoln this past October. Early Childhood Extension Educator Hayley Jackson and Workforce Development Coordinator Lameakia Collier of Lincoln Littles, teamed up to facilitate a day-long workshop for middle and high school students interested in a career in early childhood education. There were 10 students ranging in age from 10-16 who participated in the first Early Childhood Prep Academy (ECPA) this past October at Educare Lincoln.
Throughout the course of the day, students spent time observing in classrooms at Educare Lincoln, so they could see an example of high-quality, early childhood education in action. The ECPA students also spent time learning some basic First Aid & CPR skills, which are a necessary component of keeping young children safe in an early childhood setting. A large part of the day was spent introducing students to the Nebraska Early Learning Guidelines. The Nebraska Early Learning Guidelines are an evidence-based document providing guidance for early childhood educators and caregivers on how to support young children’s development in seven different domains. ECPA students learned about each of the different domains and then participated in a hands-on experience to further explore the domain.
There are plans to facilitate additional sessions of the Early Childhood Prep Academy this summer, as well. If you know any students aged 10-16 who are interested in a career in early childhood, please contact Hayley Jackson at hayley.jackson@unl.edu to receive additional information about participating.