Recent early childhood education graduates’ career aspirations and perceptions of the profession

The aim of this study was to explore the career-related intentions, experiences, and perceptions of ECE graduates to better understand persistent childcare staffing shortages and educator turnover. Recent graduates of an Early Childhood Education diploma program at an Ontario college participated in a small-scale, mixed-method pilot study; 56 completed an online questionnaire and 18 participated in a follow-up individual interview or focus group. Results demonstrated that Early Childhood Education was the first choice of program for most participants, but for varied reasons that were not necessarily associated with the intention of being an early childhood educator as a long-term career. Rather, the educational credential was seen by some as a stepping stone leading to something else, and this intention was present pre-program. Those recent graduates interested in current and future employment in early childhood had already experienced barriers to staying, casting doubt on the efficacy of government strategies to address ECE shortages and retention challenges.