Early Childhood Education, I-BEST

Certificate Information and Schedule

• Certificate Length: 1 or 2 Quarters
• Credits: 15 or 26
• I-BEST Start Dates: All Quarters (Evening and Saturdays)

The I-BEST State Initial Early Childhood Education Certificate and I-BEST State Early Childhood Education, Short Certificate of Specialization - General completes Steps 5 and 6 of Level 2 on the Washington State ECE Career Lattice. These certificates prepare I-BEST students for a first job in Early Childhood Education or for promotions in Childcare Centers or Family Home Ownership. Students will learn how to prepare a safe and heathy environment for children to learn, grow, and play. I-BEST students can start the program any quarter with quarter one or quarter two classes. I-BEST students can complete one certificate or both certificates depending on their career goals. Students completing I-BEST Early Childhood Education certificates can continue studying at LWTech to complete additional certificate levels or an Early Childhood Education Associate’s (AAS) degree.

Learn more about LWTech's Early Childhood Education program. 

I-BEST Early Childhood Education Course Sequence

To read course descriptions, see the online College Catalog page for the I-BEST Early Childhood Education. 

Employment and Wages

What does an Early Childhood Education career look like in the United States? 

The U.S. Department of Labor has an occupational profile for Preschool Teachers with information about projected employment, typical wages, and career growth at CareerOneStop.

Current Job Openings in Washington

Explore current, local job postings for Early Childhood Education Teaching Assistants on these popular job search websites:

• LWTech Hire Lions
  Hire Lions is LWTech's online job search website. To use the site and sign-up for job alerts, create a free account. If you have questions about creating an account, you can contact the Employment Resource Center. 
• Indeed
• Monster
• Glassdoor

Contact an I-BEST Advisor

Ready to talk with an advisor about the I-BEST Early Childhood Education Certificate? Want to learn more about options to help pay for I-BEST college classes? Request an appointment with an I-BEST advisor by submitting an appointment request form and an advisor will contact you as soon as possible.

Request an Appointment