Amit Chaudhary ⋅ San Jose , CA Doordash, Silicon Valley Software Company ⋅ 20 years experience

Beyond Chelsea's note, I would suggest, pick your first opening carefully as it will set the baseline for salary, path, so go for potential rather than quick start, say a Montessori Teacher over a Preschool attendant.

All the best
Amit

Barbara Stern ⋅ Boulder , CO Affordable Closets,llc ⋅ 35 years experience

I believe you are planning ahead and not dreaming that you'll be able to find a new career in child care. During this next year, I would seek whatever credentials are needed to become a child care provider. That may include becoming an EMT, if you aren't already. I know there are certification programs that are needed as well. Taking classes in early childhood education would also be valuable.
Best of Luck!

M ABC ⋅ New York , NY NA ⋅ 1 years experience

Thank you for your service. Good for you for thinking ahead. I work in Early Childhood and the advice/tips I would give are:
- Look into taking some classes and/or getting certified. Even if it's just as a daycare worker, Teaching Assistant etc. to start with. Pennfoster.edu actually has an associates degree in Early Childhood Education that is cheap and you can do online. You can later build on this degree and become fully certified as a teacher (in some places you can teach just with this Associate's, I believe, but double check that).
- Get some experience working with children as a volunteer, mentor, and/or nanny. Especially experience where you are solely responsible for a child or children goes a long way. Whenever I hire assistant teachers that is one of the things I look for: "Does this person have experience working with children where the he/she was in charge?". Even if it's minimal experience, I want to know that the person knows what it's like to be solely responsible for children who are not their own.
- Get infant and child CPR and AED certified.
- Ask the families you nanny or babysit for and the organizations you volunteer for, for letters of recommendation. Family testimonials and testimonials from people who have seen you work with kids, go a long way.
- See if you can find a pre-school or daycare where you can find a highly experienced, talented teacher who would be willing to let you intern and observe. Ask that teacher for mentoring. You'll learn so much this way. Especially if they can explain to you WHY they do things the way they do.
I hope this helps. Best of luck to you!
Melissa