Achieve’s Virtual Career Guide for the MN Early Childhood Education and Care profession empowers you to advance your skills, reach your goals, and climb Minnesota’s Career Lattice. Use this interactive tool at any stage in your career to explore options and opportunities for you to grow and achieve based on your Career Lattice Step.
About the Minnesota Career Lattice
The Minnesota Career Lattice outlines twelve steps those working in the Childhood Care and Education field can achieve along their career path. The steps scaffold informal Develop-approved training hours, credentials, and higher education. When you become an Individual Member in Develop, you are awarded the highest Career Lattice Step possible based on your verified achievements. Current Members can print a Career Lattice Step certificate from their Develop profiles to showcase their accomplishments.
Career Lattice Steps help employers easily identify qualified candidates for open positions and are required for many of Minnesota’s grant and scholarship programs for individuals and programs.
Using the Virtual Career Guide
To start, click on your current or desired Career Lattice Step below. Then, keep exploring to choose your path! You can:
- View the Training & Education Requirements for each Career Lattice Step.
- Explore career options you might want to pursue based on the Qualifying Positions for each Step.
- Click on the Qualifying Positions to view position descriptions and salary information.
- Locate Education & Training Resources.
- Map out your strengths using Develop’s Individual Training Needs Assessment (ITNA).
- The ITNA is located on your Develop Individual Profile. Registering for a Develop Individual Profile is free!
- View open positions on the Achieve Job Board.
Foundational Awareness
Foundational Awareness
Foudnational Awareness
Training & Education Requirements
No High School Diploma and/or less than 10 Develop-Approved Training Hours
This step is open to all Develop members who work directly with or on behalf of young children in Minnesota.
Noncredit Training (Steps 1-5)
Steps 1-5
Training & Education Requirements
A High School Diploma or GED
AND
10+ Develop-Approved Training Hours completed in the last 5 years.
Step 1: 10 Hours
Step 2: 25 Hours
Step 3: 55 Hours
Step 4: 90 Hours
Step 5: 120 Hours
AND/OR
Minnesota Child Care Credential (MNCCC)
OR
Minnesota Infant Toddler Credential (MNITC)
*Develop-Approved Training Hours: Training events approved according to DHS requirements and scheduled in the Develop Search for Training tool by the training provider in advance.
Qualifying Positions*
*These positions are listed as examples based on generalities, this is not an exhaustive list.
Nanny
Camp Counselor
Guardian ad Litem
Assistant Teacher
Child Care Center Director
Camp Counselor
Guardian ad Litem
Assistant Teacher
Child Care Center Director
Youth Worker
Recreation Leader/Director
Child Care Lead Teacher
Teacher’s Aide
Family Child Care Provider
Recreation Leader/Director
Child Care Lead Teacher
Teacher’s Aide
Family Child Care Provider
NONCREDIT CREDENTIAL AND/OR COLLEGE CREDITS (STEPS 6-8)
Steps 6-8
Training & Education Requirements
Step 6: 8 Approved Semester Credits
OR
Child Development Associate (CDA) Credential
OR
National Association of Family Child Care (NAFCC) Accreditation
Step 7: 16 Approved Semester Credits
OR
Higher Education Certificate in Child Development or Early Childhood Education
OR
2 Approved Semester Credits AND an Association Montessori Internationale Diploma
OR
2 Approved Semester Credits AND an American Montessori Society Associate Credential, Credential, or Endorsement
Step 8: 30 Approved Semester Credits
OR
Higher Education Diploma in Child Development or Early Childhood Education
*Approved Semester Credits: Higher education credits in which the course content was at least 50% specifically related to working with children or managing a childcare business, according to the Higher Education Coursework Policy.
Qualifying Positions*
*These positions are listed as examples based on generalities, this is not an exhaustive list.
Nanny
Camp Counselor
Guardian ad Litem
Assistant Teacher
Child Care Center Director
Camp Counselor
Guardian ad Litem
Assistant Teacher
Child Care Center Director
Youth Worker
Recreation Leader/Director
Child Care Lead Teacher
Teacher’s Aide
Family Child Care Provider
Recreation Leader/Director
Child Care Lead Teacher
Teacher’s Aide
Family Child Care Provider
COLLEGE Degrees (STEPS 9-12)
Step 9
Training & Education Requirements
Requirements
Associate degree AND 6+ Approved Semester Credits*
OR
60 total semester credits AND 6+ Approved Semester Credits
Step 9a: 6-23 Approved Semester Credits
Step 9b: 24-29 Approved Semester Credits
Step 9c: 30 Approved Semester Credits
Step 9d: Associate degree with major in Early Childhood Education or Child Development
OR
Associate degree AND 31 Approved Semester Credits in the Infant/Toddler, Early Childhood, and/or School-Age categories
*Approved Semester Credits: Higher education credits in which the course content was at least 50% specifically related to working with children or managing a childcare business, according to the Higher Education Coursework Policy.
Qualifying Positions*
*These positions are listed as examples based on generalities, this is not an exhaustive list.
Early Head Start Teacher
Food Program Monitor
Food Program Monitor
Home Visitor
Public School Paraprofessional or Teacher’s Aide
Public School Paraprofessional or Teacher’s Aide
Step 10
Training & Education Requirements
Requirements
Bachelor’s degree AND 6+ Approved Semester Credits*
Step 10a: 6-23 Approved Semester Credits
Step 10b: 24-35 Approved Semester Credits
Step 10c: 36 Approved Semester Credits
Step 10d: Major in Early Childhood Education or Child Development
OR
37 Approved Semester Credits in the Infant/Toddler, Early Childhood, and/or School-Age categories
*Approved Semester Credits: Higher education credits in which the course content was at least 50% specifically related to working with children or managing a childcare business, according to the Higher Education Coursework Policy.
Qualifying Positions*
*These positions are listed as examples based on generalities, this is not an exhaustive list.
Child Welfare Social Worker
Early Childhood and Family Education Teacher
Special Education Teacher
Human Service Director
Early Childhood and Family Education Teacher
Special Education Teacher
Human Service Director
Child Support Officer
K-6 Teacher
ECFE Parent Educator
Early Intervention Specialist
Head Start Teacher
Professional Development Advisor
K-6 Teacher
ECFE Parent Educator
Early Intervention Specialist
Head Start Teacher
Professional Development Advisor
Step 11
Training & Education Requirements
Requirements
Master’s degree AND 6+ Approved Semester Credits*
Step 11a: 6-23 Credits
Step 11b: 24-35 Credits
Step 11c: 36 Credits
Step 11d: Major in Early Childhood Education or Child Development
OR
37 Credits in the Infant/Toddler, Early Childhood, and/or School-Age categories
*Approved Semester Credits: Higher education credits in which the course content was at least 50% specifically related to working with children or managing a childcare business, according to the Higher Education Coursework Policy.
Qualifying Positions*
*These positions are listed as examples based on generalities, this is not an exhaustive list.
Child/Family Counselor
Registered Dietician or Nutritionist
Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health Specialist
Educational Researcher
Registered Dietician or Nutritionist
Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health Specialist
Educational Researcher
Children’s Librarian
Early Childhood Professor
Family Therapist
Child Development Specialist
School Counselor
Speech & Language Pathologist
Early Childhood Professor
Family Therapist
Child Development Specialist
School Counselor
Speech & Language Pathologist
Step 12
Training & Education Requirements
Requirements
Doctorate degree AND 6+ Approved Semester Credits*
Step 12a: 6-23 Credits
Step 12b: 24-35 Credits
Step 12c: 36 Credits
Step 12d: Major in Early Childhood Education or Child Development
OR
37 Credits in the Infant/Toddler, Early Childhood, and/or School-Age categories
*Approved Semester Credits: Higher education credits in which the course content was at least 50% specifically related to working with children or managing a childcare business, according to the Higher Education Coursework Policy.
Qualifying Positions*
*These positions are listed as examples based on generalities, this is not an exhaustive list.
Child Psychologist
Early Childhood College or University Professor
Resources for Your Professional Development Journey
Minnesota 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.
Develop Approved Training Hours
Search for Develop Approved Training Hours and register for Approved Training Events that best support your Professional Development goals!
Job Board
Looking for a new job? Check out the Achieve Job Board!
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