Start your journey to a fulfilling career in Early Childhood Education
Grow your career in child care at the YMCA.
Apply to become an ECE with all training paid!
At the Y, we care about our ECEs as much as they care about our children.
We make sure our educators receive the support, training, and work-life balance they need to excel in their field, as they foster social and emotional wellness in future generations.
- Minimum of $27/hour — (with wage enhancement) for those beginning a career as a certified ECE
- Paid training — We’ll pay for your ECE designation, advanced certifications and more
- Support and flexibility — Support staff are available on every shift, giving you time off the floor for professional development, administration and more flexibility in your work schedule
- Advancement opportunities —supervisor and management positions at each centre provide more opportunity for growth and advancement
- Other paid perks — Over 100 professional development hours during work time, 3 weeks paid vacation, 12 paid wellness days, 5 paid family wellness days, annual wage increases, wage grids per designation, pension, and benefits
- Priority child care placement for your children — including $10/day centres
- Evidence-based curriculum — Our educators are proud to teach our Playing to Learn™ curriculum
Does this sound like a career for you, discover our training program to make a career as an ECE your reality. Featuring a flexible, virtual format that allows you to earn your ECE-A/ECE certification for free. Whether you’re eager to launch your career or elevate your existing path as an Early Childhood Educator, this is your moment to acquire the essential qualifications for success.
Secure your space now and begin your journey to becoming a confident ECE.
We’ll pay for your education
Becoming an ECE
- Responsible Adult Certification
- Early Childcare Educator Assistant Certification
- Early Childhood Educator Diploma
- Advanced Certifications (Infant/Toddler & Supported Development)
3 new centres opened in 2023 and more to come!
The YMCA of Southern Interior BC’s child care division is growing rapidly to serve the needs of our community. Our new centres created over 300 new child care spaces. Our unique partnerships enable us to bridge the gap between early learning and school-aged learning, helping children transition to kindergarten more easily.
Newly Opened Kelowna & Lake Country centres include:
- Black Mountain YMCA Child Care opened in August 2023 for ages 0–12 (full time child care, preschool & out of school care)
- Okanagan Mission YMCA Child Care opened in August 2023 for ages 0–12 (full time child care, preschool & out of school care)
- Kelowna Airport YMCA Child Care opened in September 2023 with full time care for ages 0–5
- George Elliot YMCA Child Care is opening September 2024 for ages 0–12 (full time child care, preschool & out of school care)
Penticton centres opening soon include:
- Power Street YMCA Child Care Full time child care & Preschool
- Uplands YMCA Child Care Full time child care, Preschool & Out of School Care
Help us make a difference. Join our team.
Current Opportunities
To view and apply for positions as a current employee, please log in to UKG and click "My Company", then "View Opportunities" in the sidebar menu.
For those wanting to enter the field, reach out to us to learn about paid training opportunities by emailing Val at valene.johnson@ymcasibc.ca.
Flavia's Story
"Now, nearly 10 years after moving to Canada, I am grateful to be in a leadership role in YMCA Child Care, and both of my daughters have grown up in Y child care programs, benefiting from our amazing Playing to Learn curriculum, which I wholeheartedly believe in."