Early Childhood Education Student Placements

YWCA Halifax, in partnership with the Nova Scotia Community College, offers placement and practicum opportunities for students enrolled in the college’s Early Childhood Education diploma program. We also continue to welcome students from CBBC Career College, Nova Scotia’s College for Early Childhood Educators, and Mount Saint Vincent University.

Placements are a valuable way for future Early Childhood Educators to gain hands-on work experience that will help them enter the workforce. Students learn the best practices and skills needed to provide quality child care for families.

YWCA Halifax is committed to encouraging the growth of child care professionals in our province. To achieve this, all of YWCA Halifax’s licensed child care centres are Accredited Lab Schools, governed by the Nova Scotia Department of Education and Early Childhood Development.

What’s a Lab School?

How Lab Schools Benefit Everyone

• Post-secondary institutions stay connected to what’s happening day-to-day in the child care sector.
• Early Childhood Education students have the chance to learn in an active work environment.
• Child care centres receive additional help with programming, giving more time to attend to each individual child’s needs.
• Children interact with a range of approved students with different ages, backgrounds, and cultures.

Real Work Experience for Early Childhood Education Students

Participating in a student placement at YWCA Halifax child care gives you exceptional training alongside seasoned Early Childhood Educators, all within one of Canada’s largest child care providers.

Students have the opportunity to:

• Receive mentorship from certified YWCA Early Childhood Educators.
• Observe how in class lessons are implemented in a licensed child care facility.
• Participate in play-based program planning for a variety of ages.
• Learn best practices for culturally responsive and developmentally appropriate learning experiences.

Students can also complete a learning project that observes or interviews staff on a chosen childhood development topic. Projects are developed with an NSCC course instructor and are approved by the YWCA Halifax Provincial Director of Early Learning and Child Care.

Questions and Learn More

To learn more about participating in a student placement or practicum, please contact:

Krista Maynard (she/her) | Regional Manager, Early Learning and Child Care:

k.maynard@ywcahalifax.com | (782) 414-0178