1.1 Why take the Child Development Program (CDP) program pathway to your ECE diploma?
You and your employer enter into a contract, representing your employer’s willingness to support you in gaining specific skills at the workplace as well as the signing-off of your contract, which reflects the number of working hours you have accrued.
While enrolled at Fanshawe College, the apprentices are also registered as Child Development Practitioner Apprentices with the Ministry of Trades.
The apprentice completes eighteen courses that run over 7 weeks at Fanshawe College in a hybrid format with synchronous and asynchronous online classes. Students can take one course or all that are offered each semester as long as they meet prerequisites and six (6) placements, with most placements being completed within their current workplace.
Before graduating as an Apprentice, 5280 hours of work, practical experience in child care, and 720 placement hours must be completed and documented.
Documentation for the Ministry of Trades includes maintaining a Log book [PDF].
The First Step
The apprentice is to contact the nearest Ministry office to ask for an “Application for Apprenticeship,” which can be completed online. The training consultant is chosen based on where the employer is located. To speak with a representative at the Ministry, please contact appr.london@ontario.ca.
