The Career Conversion Programme (CCP) for Infant and Early Years Educators offered by National Institute of Early Childhood Development (NIEC) provides participants with the necessary knowledge and skills to interact, plan and implement programmes, and set up conducive environments in childcare settings for children from birth to three years of age.

Under the CCP for Infant and Early Years Educators programme, newly hired participants will undergo a 600-hour programme with classroom and on-the-job training conducted over eight months. Upon successful completion of the course, participants will register with the Early Childhood Development Agency (ECDA) as a certified Early Years 2 Educator to care for infants, playgroups & pre-nursery groups and children from two (2) months to three (3) years of age ECDA-licensed Early Childhood Development Centres.

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

Minimum Qualifying Salary

To attract more mid-career switchers to join the EC sector, Early Childhood Development Agency (ECDA) and Workforce Singapore (WSG) will introduce a Minimum Qualifying Salary for the Career Conversion Programmes (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; and
• Must not be immediate ex-staff of participating company or its related companies.
• 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 position related to job role which the CCP is for, with a minimum fixed monthly salary of $1,900 or more, and at least a 12-month employment contract from the start date of 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