Working with children can be rewarding, challenging and diverse, as you consider the wider context effecting children and society around them. Graduates with an early childhood studies degree have gone on to become teachers, play specialists and family support workers, but the options don’t end there.
Teaching could involve primary, secondary or SEN (Special Education Needs) settings, which might lead to consultancy work within schools and/or support services. Play specialists work closely with local councils, charities and healthcare services, as do child therapists, counsellors and speech and language therapists. Family support workers also work across various settings, and if you are interested in helping children that have been the victims of crime, it would be worth considering the local charities and community initiatives that offer work experience or summer placements. Early childhood studies as a course offers work-based learning, and engaging with this effectively can help to build the experience you need to work within your setting of choice post graduation.
Researching your career options
It is important to research and explore these fully so that you can make informed decisions about your future. Keep an open mind and consider the wealth of skills you can offer.
Take a look at these websites for inspiration:
Employment opportunities
Below is a snapshot of what some University of Plymouth early childhood studies graduates told us they were doing 15 months after graduation. For some graduates, these jobs serve as stepping stones to professional posts by providing relevant workplace experience.
- Director and Manager
- Early Years Practitioner
- Preschool Manager
- Primary School Teacher
- Primary Supply Teacher
- Teacher
- Family Support Worker
- Post Adoption Support Family Practitioner
- SENCO
- Student Engagement Officer
- Work Placement Coordinator
- Work Placement Officer
Employers
- Acorn Academy
- Adopt South West
- Bridgwater and Taunton College
- Educated Recruitment
- Felicity's Fledglings
- Fitnfunkids
- Kingsacre Primary School
- Lipson Vale Primary School
- Orchard House Family Assessment Center
- Petroc College
- Citizens Advice
*Data is from the Graduate Outcomes Surveys of 2017/18 and 2018/19. Graduates were surveyed 15 months after graduating. Data displayed is for 28 UK-domiciled, first degree, full-time graduates who are working, studying or looking for work.