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Health and Human Services Education Career Pathway

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Love working with kids?

Does your student enjoy working with kids? Are they passionate about educating the next generation and making a difference? Are they a “people person?” Then a career in education may be a great fit!

Get certified. Get Connected.


At Stride Career Prep,* we give students a solid foundation in childhood development and education. We prepare students to earn the credentials necessary to embark on a career in childcare right after graduation—without the hassle or expense of additional training or degrees. The tuition-free program includes exam prep for the NOCTI Early Childhood Education and Care certification exam, a highly regarded industry credential.

We encourage students to jumpstart the job search by helping them create a professional résumé, cover letter, and profile on Tallo, the leading professional networking platform for Gen Z. Plus, they connect virtually to working education professionals through Nepris.**

Our Education and Training Curriculum in Detail

All our students take the core courses required for high school graduation in their state. The chart below shows the additional classes that Education and Training pathway students take, and the industry-recognized certification exams they can prepare to take. You can see the rest of the curriculum by viewing the full course list.

9th GRADE10th GRADE11th GRADE12th GRADECERTIFICATIONSPOTENTIAL JOBS
Introduction to TeachingComputer Literacy (Project-Based Learning [PBL])
Psychology
Understanding Child Development
Early Childhood Education 1
Early Childhood Education 2ACT National Career Readiness Certification (NCRC)
NOCTI Early Childhood Education and Care–Basic (Job Ready)
NOCTI Early Childhood Education and Care–Advanced (Job Ready)
Childcare Worker

Childcare Center Director

Teaching Assistant

Elementary School

Teacher
Special

Education Teacher

Find a school near you that offers education and training.

Stride Career Prep programs with the Education and Training pathway are available at tuition-free K12-powered, public online schools in the following states:

ARIZONA
Insight Academy of Arizona

COLORADO
Destinations Career Academy of Colorado
Pikes Peak Online School

INDIANA
Indiana Digital Learning School
Indiana Gateway Digital Academy

SOUTH CAROLINA
Cyber Academy of South Carolina

WYOMING
Wyoming Virtual Academy 

Don’t see your state? Check out the tuition-based option here in Education and Training.

Occupational Spotlight

Childcare Center Director

Childcare center directors oversee all aspects of a childcare center, including hiring, training, and supervising staff; choosing a curriculum; managing enrollment; managing the center’s finances; and ensuring the center meets all legal and regulatory requirements.


2020 Median Starting
Salary1

$34,743

Projected New Jobs, 2019-20292
700

Expected Percentage Growth in No. of Jobs, 2019-20292
1% (slower than average)

Typical Entry-Level Education
Bachelor’s degree

Childcare Worker

Childcare workers care for children while their parents are at work. Duties may include playing with and reading to children, leading group activities and games, teaching children social skills and basic literacy and numeracy skills (e.g., the alphabet and counting), preparing simple meals, feeding children, and assisting children with personal hygiene activities. Most childcare workers are in daycares, but some may work as private nannies or in after-school care settings.

2020 Median Starting
Salary1

$31,696

Projected New Jobs, 2019-20292
19,500

Expected Percentage Growth in No. of Jobs, 2019-20292
2% (slower than average)

Typical Entry-Level Education
High school diploma or GED

Elementary School Teacher

Elementary school teachers instruct children in kindergarten through fifth grade in a wide variety of subjects, including math, reading, science, and social studies.

2020 Median Starting
Salary1

$46,483

Projected New Jobs, 2019-20292
56,100

Expected Percentage Growth in No. of Jobs, 2019-20292
4% (average)

Typical Entry-Level Education
Bachelor’s degree

Special Education Teacher

Special education teachers teach children with special needs, which could include autism, Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD), Down Syndrome, Cerebral Palsy, or other intellectual or physical disabilities or developmental delays. Special education teachers must be patient and encouraging and able to adapt their teaching style to each individual child’s challenges.

2020 Median Starting
Salary1

$46,553

Projected New Jobs, 2019-20292
14,300

Expected Percentage Growth in No. of Jobs, 2019-20292
3% (average)

Typical Entry-Level Education
Bachelor’s degree

Teacher Assistant

Teacher assistants work with a licensed teacher to give students additional attention and instruction.

2020 Median Starting
Salary1

$32,448

Projected New Jobs, 2019-20292
50,500

Expected Percentage Growth in No. of Jobs, 2019-20292
4% (average)

Typical Entry-Level Education
While most postings only require an associate’s degree, most teachers assistants have bachelor’s degrees

FAQs

Childcare workers typically do not need a degree. However, all teachers in school settings will require at least a bachelor’s degree, and teachers in public schools will also need to be certified by the state in which they are teaching.

In high school, take classes in early childhood development and education and get experience working as a tutor, nanny, summer camp counselor, volunteer or paid aide at an afterschool program. Talk to professionals in the different fields you are considering, and if possible, try shadowing them for a day. For example, for those considering a career in special education, they should see if they can sit in on a special education class for a day. After choosing a path to pursue, you should look into education requirements and other experience you need. You can also investigate special programs such as Teach for America.

Classes in child psychology, child development, and childhood education are useful. That’s why we offer the following classes for aspiring teachers and childcare workers: Introduction to Teaching, Psychology, Understanding Child Development, and Early Childhood Education.

Learn more about course offerings in the other Stride Career Prep career fields.

Agriculture, Food & Natural Resources

Learn more >

Business Management & Administration

Learn more >

Criminal Justice & Community Services

Learn more >

Education & Training

Learn more >

Engineering & Manufacturing

Learn more >

Health Sciences

Learn more >

Hospitality & Tourism

Learn more >

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Information Technology (IT)

Learn more >

Marketing

Learn more >

Visual Arts & Communications

Learn more >

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Hear how Stride Career Prep can work for your teen.

Think this might be a good fit for your student? Want to learn more about the program from current participants? Email your questions and hear what Stride Career Prep students have to say.

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1Burning Glass Labor Insights, accessed October 16, 2020. Data is median salary for job postings with that job title, with typical minimum education requirements for that job title (as shown in chart on this page) and 0-2 years of experience, from October 1, 2019, to September 20, 2020.
2Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S.Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook. Website last modified date: Wednesday, September 1, 2020.
*Stride Career Prep is a program for grades 9–12. At some schools, career exploration is offered in middle school.
**Opportunities vary by school; please visit your school page or check with your school counselor.
Many Microsoft®️ Office certificates can be earned after completing one course. Other certificates require more classes to be better prepared, and students who participate in the program for at least two years will have further preparation for certification testing