People’s Emergency Center (PEC) and Brightside Academy announced a new partnership to fast track individuals looking to break into the early childhood education field. The goal of the innovative employment strategy is to provide employment opportunities and create highly-skilled employees that are encouraged to continue an employment and educational journey in early childhood education.

PEC’s Center for Employment and Training (CET) will recruit individuals interested in this career path and prepare them for the program with five weeks of Professional Development Training, which provides an overview of critical employment skills applicable to every field, such as time management, effective communications, working on teams, presentations, and more. CET will also assist with resume building, interview skills, attire, transportation, child care, connections to resources, and assistance applying for the CDA voucher from the state of Pennsylvania. 

The students will enroll in Brightside Academy’s teacher career path with paid on-the-job training and an online course to earn their Child Development Associate (CDA) certificate. During the training CET will continue to provide employment case management, resources and supports such as financial counseling. Brightside Academy will provide instructional supports and mentors for the trainees. After earning their CDA, the graduates receive a raise.

Candidates for the program must have a GED or high school diploma, and have one and a half years of childcare or babysitting experience, plus personal and professional references. CDA course participants must commit to one year of employment with Brightside Academy starting from receiving their certificate.

To enroll, interested individuals should contact Joe’Nell Williams at 267-777-5852 or jwilliams@pec-cares.org to sign up for orientations on May 3, May 8, and May 16.  The second training begins on May 28.

As Brightside Academy employees, program graduates will be encouraged to continue their educational journey to an Associate’s or Bachelor’s Degree in Early Childhood Education by connecting with Community College of Philadelphia and the Childcare Workers Union.