December 20, 2019
This semester our Educational Assistant (EA) and Early Learning Child Care (ELCC) department teamed up with Kikino Metis Settlement to offer courses that would allow students, with successful completion, the opportunity to apply for Child Development Assistant certification with the Government of Alberta (GOA). Similar programming was also offered in Fishing Lake Metis Settlement, Saddle Lake Cree Nation and Janvier.
Communities chose a variety of course options from either the EA Certificate or ELCC Certificate programs. There are an assortment of courses that Portage College can deliver. How the courses (45 hours each) are delivered can range from one week, 10 days or over a month, depending on the community’s wants and needs. They can also be delivered face-to-face or through distance learning.
Successful completion results of the Continuing Education Certificate will give those students the ability to apply for GOA Certification as a Child Development Assistant. This means they can be employed at child care centers under the supervision of a Child Development Worker and/or Child Development Supervisor.
When working with children, the GOA has made it mandatory for child care workers to be at the first level (Child Development Assistant) within six months of their employment start date. Portage College has certified courses that qualify for this certification and is very interested in continuing to improve the skill sets of child care workers within their communities.
Students who have completed successfully can also choose to continue on with their studies and take the full Portage College Certificate or Diploma in EA or ELCC. If they have the proper entrance qualification, students will receive advanced credit towards those parchments.
Congratulations to all the students for passing the courses and good luck with your future in child care development.
Student from the Kikino Metis Settlement in Learning Through Play course.
Student from the Kikino Metis Settlement in Learning Through Play course.
Students from Fishing Lake in the Learning Through Play course.
Other communities who are interested in these courses can reach out to Continuing Education to learn more on how to make arrangements. Email or toll free at 1-888-745-0719.
Media Inquiries:
Jaime Davies, Corporate Communications Manager
780-623-5581 or email
We acknowledge that Portage College’s service region is on the traditional lands of First Nation Peoples, the owners of Treaty 6, 8 and 10, which are also homelands to the Métis people. We honour the history and culture of all people who first lived and gathered in these lands.