Great Plains College announces new Early Childhood Education programming in Kindersley

KINDERSLEY - Great Plains College is pleased to announce the addition of the Early Childhood Education program to its Kindersley Campus program array. The level one course offerings are set to run September through December on a part-time basis.

“Trained early childhood educators are essential to our education system, playing an invaluable role in nurturing our youngest learners and establishing the foundation for lifelong learning and development,” said Keleah Ostrander, vice president, programs and students at Great Plains College. “We are thrilled to introduce this new program to the Kindersley community to help prepare future early childhood educators for a fulfilling and impactful career in early childhood education.”

The level one courses will be delivered in-person in the evenings this fall. Students can complete the three level one courses, Child Guidance 1, Health, Safety and Nutrition, and Dynamics of Play 1, to earn their level one Early Childhood Education certification, which is the ministry’s minimum training requirement to work in a licensed early learning centre. The first course is set to begin September 2, 2025.

The early learning sector has seen significant investment in recent years through the Canada-Saskatchewan Canada-Wide Early Learning and Child Care Agreement, which aims to improve affordability, access and quality of early learning in Canada, including investments in training for Early Childhood Educators. Thanks to those grants, the college is able to offer this program tuition-free for the 2025-26 academic year.

“As the number of early learning facilities and spaces in Kindersley continue to grow, so does the need for well-trained educators,” added Ostrander. “We are pleased to offer a local training opportunity that will help fulfill the staffing needs of the community’s early learning centres.”

Applications to the program are now open, to learn more or apply, visit greatplainscollege.ca/programs-courses/college-trades-university/early-childhood-education, contact student adviser Gloria Vielhauer at gloriav@greatplainscollege.ca or 306-463-1353, or stop by the Kindersley Campus.