Child Care Services

One-Year Embedded Technical Diploma

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Early childhood educators work with young children during the pivotal years that build the foundations for future success. The Child Care Services technical diploma at Blackhawk Technical College prepares you to work as teacher-caregiver in an early childhood education setting.  Gain hands on experience through field experience placements at local child care centers and related academic work at the college.  As a student, you’ll take a variety of courses related to early childhood development, curriculum planning, and behavior guidance in this high-demand field. Students practice creating developmentally appropriate play-based learning experience plans and incorporating health and safety practices.  If you have a passion for working with young children through 8-years of age, consider a fun and rewarding career in early childhood education.  Graduates of the Child Care Services technical diploma will be recognized as a Wisconsin Registry Career Level 11.  Courses in the Child Care Services technical diploma transfer directly into the Early Childhood Education associate degree program.

Upon successful completion of the Child Care Services technical diploma, students will be able to: 

  1. Relate knowledge of child development to practice
  2. Create relationships with children, family, and the community
  3. Apply observation, documentation, and assessment strategies
  4. Implement developmentally appropriate teaching and learning experiences
  5. Demonstrate professional practice
  6. Follow health, safety, and nutrition practices

Credits 12

Credits 27

A caregiver criminal background check and health examination are required prior to beginning a field experience course. Drug testing may also be required by certain sites. There are fees associated with these tasks. For more information, contact the program faculty and/or program advisor.

Taking a course within the Child Care Services technical diploma or Early Childhood Education associate degree prior to completing and passing a criminal background check does not guarantee enrollment in any of the field experience courses or placement in the early childhood field required for program completion.

Field Experience Courses
The Early Childhood Education program includes four required field experience courses. These courses include student teaching placement hours that must be completed in person at a local early childhood setting during daytime hours. Students must complete 54 hours in ECE: Field Experience 1 and 108 hours in ECE: Field Experience 2. In addition to placement hours, students are required to participate in scheduled class contact time associated with each field experience.

Required Documentation for Field Experience Placement
The following documentation must be completed before students can be placed in a field experience:

  • Submit the required Background Information Disclosure (BID) form.
  • When scheduling a fingerprint background check, students must bring two forms of valid identification (such as a Social Security card, driver’s license or state-issued ID, or passport) to the appointment. The student is responsible for the fee associated with the fingerprint background check.
  • Students must obtain an acceptable Wisconsin Caregiver Background Check. Information identified in the background check may affect a student’s ability to secure a field experience placement and obtain employment after graduation.
  • Complete the Department of Children and Families (DCF) Staff Health Report no more than 12 months prior to admission.

Taking a course within the Child Care Services technical diploma or Early Childhood Education associate degree prior to completing and passing a criminal background check does not guarantee enrollment in any of the field experience courses or placement in the early childhood field required for program completion.

Program Highlights

  • All required program coursework is part of the Wisconsin Technical College System (WTCS) statewide curriculum, which aligns with Wisconsin’s YoungStar requirements and allows for numerous seamless transfer opportunities between area technical colleges and baccalaureate degree-granting colleges and universities.
  • Graduates of this program will be recognized as Wisconsin Registry Career Level 11.
  • Students of this program may be eligible for the TEACH Early Childhood WISCONSIN scholarship. TEACH Early Childhood® WISCONSIN provides higher education scholarships to professionals who work in regulated early childhood and school age care settings seeking approved credit-based education, such as the Early Childhood Education associate degree. Learn more about TEACH here: https://wisconsinearlychildhood.org/programs/t-e-a-c-h/