The early childhood (EC) Industry Transformation Map (ITM) 2025 seeks to uplift the quality of the EC sector. From 23,000 pre-school educators in Singapore, another 3,500 and more would be recruited by 2025. The ITM also laid out improvements to be made to the working conditions for EC educators, in addition to better prospects. In particular, EC educators in government-supported pre-schools can expect up to 30 percent increase in their salaries from 2023.

The Career Conversion Programme (CCP) for Preschool Educators offered by the National Institute of Early Childhood Development (NIEC) equips mid-career Professionals, Managers, Executives and Technicians (PMETs) with the necessary knowledge and skills to work as Preschool Educators in the Early Childhood (EC) sector.

This CCP consists of classroom and workplace training and will be conducted over 9 to 18 months. Upon successful completion of the CCP, participants can register with the Early Childhood Development Agency (ECDA) as a certified Preschool Educator and work in an ECDA-licensed Early Childhood Development Centres.

NIEC is the national training institute set up by the Ministry of Education to raise the standards of EC training and strengthen the foundational training and professional development of Singapore’s early childhood educators at different stages of their career.

Minimum Qualifying Salary

The Early Childhood Development Agency (ECDA) and Workforce Singapore have introduced a Minimum Qualifying Salary for the CCPs for Early Childhood with effect from 1 June 2023. 

*The salary refers to the fixed monthly salary received by CCP trainee(s) from their employer during the CCP training, comprising basic monthly salary and fixed monthly allowance (if any).

Individuals

The Programme is open to all company-sponsored applicants who meet the following General eligibility criteria:

• Be a Singapore Citizens (SC) or Singapore Permanent Residents (PR) aged 21 years and above;
• New hires must have graduated or completed National Service, whichever is later, for at least two years prior at the point of course application;
• Have fulfilled the minimum course entry requirements;
• Must be a new hired (i.e. not more than six (6) months from date of employment) by participating ECDA-licensed Early Childhood Development Centres;
• New hire must pass a pre-requisite medical examination required by ECDA to work in the sector;
• Must not be in a similar job role prior to joining the CCP;
• Must not be a shareholder of the participating company, or its related companies;
• Must not be related to the owner(s) of the participating company;
• Must not be immediate ex-staff of participating company or its related companies; and
• Individuals can register their interest with NIEC and find out more about participating employers.

To apply, participants should meet the minimum course entry requirements as follows.

*Please visit www.ecda.gov.sg for the list of English/Chinese Language Acceptable Alternatives. The above minimum entry requirements serve only as a guide. More information is available at www.niec.edu.sg

Employers

• Registered or incorporated in Singapore with a valid Unique Entity Number (UEN) with Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority (ACRA);
• Offer a full-time PMET position related to job role which the CCP is for, with a minimum fixed monthly salary of $2,400 or more, and at least a 12-month employment contract from the start date of the course;
• Ensure that new hires have met the eligibility criteria and are not:
  • A shareholder of the CCP company, or its related companies;
  • Related to the owner(s) of the company; and
  • Immediate ex-staff of the company or its related companies.
• Commit to CCP training arrangements for the trainees and the CCP terms & conditions.

Selected applicants will undergo screening, interview and shortlisting process as determined by the hiring employer.

Employers must commit to working with WSG and the appointed programme manager on necessary administrative matters related to the CCP.

Funding support

*Note

• For trainees who commence training from 1 April 2024
• For trainees who commence training before 1 April 2024, the funding is capped at $4,000 and $6,000 for Standard Rate and Enhanced Rate, respectively.