Bladen Community College Launches Free Child Care Training to Combat Worker Shortage

Bladen Community College will host a string of free Child Care Academies starting January 26. The program trains prospective day care workers. The N.C. Department of Health and Human Services awarded the school $44,150 as part of a statewide push to tackle the shortage of early childhood educators.

BCC is one of 16 colleges across the state to receive grants. The first two-week academy will begin in late January. Tentative sessions are planned for March and April.

Students will learn about CPR and first aid, playground safety, and safe sleep habits. Participants will also learn how to recognize signs of child abuse. Those who complete the program will earn the North Carolina Early Childhood Credential and the Child Development Associate credential.

"To work at a child development center, there's some basic things that you have to have done first," said BCC President Amanda Lee, according to Border Belt Independent. "What we're hoping with these Child Care Academies is that we can get all of that work done so that when they make their application, they'll already be ready to be employed."

A 2024 report from the National Association for the Education of Young Children showed that 60% of 461 early childhood educators in North Carolina said they are experiencing a staffing shortage at their centers or homes. Staff burnout and high turnover were listed as common challenges.

Bladen County needs 470 more child care seats to meet what families require, according to a study from the Buffett Early Childhood Institute at the University of Nebraska. Students who want to continue studying early child education could pursue an associate's degree at the institution.