A career fair coming up on Thursday, March 9 will highlight job opportunities in the booming childcare sector.
Over a hundred positions are available locally, and more are expected to be created under the Canada-wide Early Learning and Child Care (CWELC) agreement.
Early Years Workforce Development Strategy Project Manager Matt Joosse said almost all of the local childcare operators will be represented.
"If you're considering a new career, a second career, or getting back into the workforce, this is a really good opportunity for you. There are so many jobs available, and really you have your choice of where you want to work. Jobs range anywhere from being a registered early childhood educator to a non-registered early childhood educator, an education assistant, cooks, maintenance, HR and administration. There are so many jobs available due to the expansion."
Joosse said previous experience isn't required, and staff from Employment Ontario will also be on hand to help out with paperwork and resumes.
"You just have to show a willingness to want to work with children and learn and be curious. A lot of the people that will be at the career fair want to educate children one day, work with children in the early years, and really design programs that make children learn in an appropriate way. That will help with growth and development, social development and emotional development."
Under the CWELC agreement, the provincial and federal governments are planning to create 86,000 new childcare spaces in Ontario over the next five years.
This includes lowering fees to an average of $10 per day for children under the age of six in licensed childcare by September 2025.
Thursday's job fair is taking place from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m. at Sarnia Legion Branch 62 at 286 Front Street North.
More information can be found here.