Career Retraining for Child Day Care Workers

Recession in the United States has started to create a ripple effect, impacting new waves of American workers every month. As laid-off parents return home to care for their children, enrollment in private child day care services has dropped. Government labor analysts recently listed child day care workers among the top five categories of professionals most affected by nationwide layoffs. While this once-booming profession experiences a cooling-off period, child day care workers can enroll in career retraining programs that can put their existing job skills to use in other areas.

Common Job Skills Among Child Day Care Workers

• Awareness of surroundings
• Clear communication
• Familiarity with special health care needs

Career Opportunities After Retraining

According to some experts, child day care workers with strong job skills can make lateral moves into either education or health care. Both industries have endured the weak economy, with analysts estimating significant expansion as the recession fades.

New Economy Careers for Child Day Care Professionals

• K-12 Teachers
• Adult Day Care Workers
• Specialty Tutors

Benefits of Career Retraining

Current child day care workers can extend their reach with children and young adults by using career retraining programs to formalize their teaching certifications. Increased demand for small class sizes at public schools has created new opportunities for novice K-12 teachers, with some school districts sponsoring fast-track transition programs for prospective teachers with transferable job skills. Former child day care workers with developmental training can also find opportunities in specialized tutoring programs.

Likewise, child day care workers who enjoy serving others in a health care environment can train at job skills centers for new roles as adult day care professionals or as specialized nurses. An aging population of baby boomers has created high demand for a new style of assisted living facility. These centers require staff who can relate well to adults with both mental and physical challenges, not unlike those faced by participants in child day care programs. By looking beyond the child care industry for new opportunities, professionals can stretch job skills and survive the recession.

Sources:
Bureau of Labor Statistics, Child Day Care Services
Bureau of Labor Statistics, Mass Layoffs Summary
Bureau of Labor Statistics, Nursing
Bureau of Labor Statistics, Teachers