Photo: Joyce Preschool–
Minneapolis, MN
Virtual Career Guide
Welcome to the Minnesota Childhood Care and Education Workforce Virtual Career Guide!
The Achieve Virtual Career Guide and Career Lattice are tools of empowerment. Advance your skills and succeed in reaching your career goals. Use this tool to search opportunities and identify options for your path of achievement.
What does the Virtual Career Guide do?
This Virtual Career Guide can help you plan a successful childhood care and education career. Click the icons below to find out how!
Who should use the Virtual Career Guide?
This tool is for:
- Members of the MN Early Childhood Education and Care Workforce.
- Individuals interested in learning about careers in early childhood.
- High school students exploring career options in early childhood.
How do I use the Virtual Career Guide?
The Virtual Career Guide is easy to use.
- Click on your current or desired Career Lattice step below.
- Explore the Training & Education Requirements and Qualifying Positions.
- Click on the Qualifying positions to view position descriptions and salary information.
- Map out your strengths using the Individual Training Needs Assessment located on your Develop Profile Page.
- Build your Professional Development Plan.
- Click on the Qualifying positions to view position descriptions and salary information.
- Scroll down to Search for Training Opportunities or to view open positions on the Achieve Job Board.
Career Lattice
The MN Career Lattice helps employers easily identify qualified candidates for open positions. It outlines the twelve career steps those working in the Childhood Care and Education field can reach to move forward in their careers. The steps on the MN Career Lattice begin with Foundational Awareness and end with a doctorate degree.
Steps 1-5
Steps 1-5
Training & Education Requirements
Step 1: A High School Diploma or GED & 10 Training Hours
Step 2: A High School Diploma or GED & 25 Training Hours
Step 3: A High School Diploma or GED & 55 Training Hours
Step 4: A High School Diploma or GED & 90 Training Hours
Step 5: A High School Diploma or GED & 120 Training Hours
No College Credit
Minnesota Child Care Credential (MNCCC)
OR
Qualifying Positions*
*These positions are listed as examples based on generalities, this is not an exhaustive list.
Camp Counselor
Guardian ad Litem
Assistant Teacher
Child Care Center Director
Recreation Leader/Director
Child Care Lead Teacher
Teacher’s Aide
Family Child Care Provider
Steps 6-8
Steps 6-8
Training & Education Requirements
Step 6: 8 College Credits OR
Child Development Associate (CDA) Credential OR
National Association of Family Child Care (NAFCC) Accreditation
Step 7: 16 College Credits OR MnAEYC Early Childhood Director’s Credential
Step 8: 30 College Credits OR Child Development Diploma
Qualifying Positions*
*These positions are listed as examples based on generalities, this is not an exhaustive list.
Camp Counselor
Guardian ad Litem
Assistant Teacher
Child Care Center Director
Recreation Leader/Director
Child Care Lead Teacher
Teacher’s Aide
Family Child Care Provider
Step 9
Step 9
Associate’s Degree with
6-30 Approved Semester College Credits
Training & Education Requirements
Associate’s Degree
Qualifying Positions*
*These positions are listed as examples based on generalities, this is not an exhaustive list.
Food Program Monitor
Public School Paraprofessional or Teacher’s Aide
Step 10
Step 10
Bachelor’s Degree with
6-36 Approved Semester College Credits
Training & Education Requirements
Bachelor’s Degree
Qualifying Positions*
Child Welfare Social Worker
Early Childhood and Family Education Teacher
Special Education Teacher
Registered Nurse or Nutritionist
Human Service Director
K-6 Teacher
ECFE Parent Educator
Early Intervention Specialist
Head Start Teacher
Professional Development Advisor
Step 11
Step 11
Master’s Degree with
6-36 Approved Semester College Credits
Training & Education Requirements
Master’s Degree
Qualifying Positions*
*These positions are listed as examples based on generalities, this is not an exhaustive list.
Educational Researcher
Children’s Librarian
Child Development Specialist
Early Childhood Professor (College or University)
School Counselor
Speech & Language Pathologist
Step 12
Step 12
Doctorate Degree with
6-36 Approved Semester College Credits
Training & Education Requirements
Doctorate
Qualifying Positions*
Early Childhood Professor (College or University)
Use the Develop Search for Training feature.
Looking for a new job? Check out the Achieve Job Board!
Find lots of helpful resources, including the Minnesota Career Lattice, Learning Record Review Request, Acceptable Documentation Policy and Foreign Education Documentation.