College Student Employment

Both ECDC programs offer seasonal work opportunities for college students – school year, fall/spring break, and summer. More information about each can be found below. Individuals interested in working at ECDC should be open minded, enjoy working with children, have a positive spirit and attitude, be flexible, playful, positive, responsible and dependable. Experience working with children is a plus. Students who have volunteered or completed practicum work with ECDC are given priority in the hiring process for both school year and summer college student positions. Due to licensing requirements, all employees must get a physical, TB test, drug screen and criminal history check via fingerprinting. ECDC pays for all of these requirements and assists with the process of helping you obtain them.

School Year Employment

During the school year, part time College Student Teacher Assistant positions are available for students interested in working with children ages 2 through kindergarten. Teacher Assistants are typically scheduled between 4-10 hours per week and work alongside the professional teachers supporting classroom activities and arrival/departure/lunch times of the day, as well as early, late day and rest times.

To apply, please submit an employment application, three letters of recommendation and an employment availability form to Jennifer Wray at ECDC-SMC (jwray@saintmarys.edu or 574-284-4693) or Tammi Kunz at ECDC-ND (tkunzecdc@gmail.com or 574-631-3344).

Fall Semester 2024 Employment Availability Form for ECDC-SMC
Fall Semester 2024 Employment Availability Form for ECDC-ND

More about School Year employment at ECDC.

Fall Break and Spring Break Employment

During fall and spring break, ECDC hires college students to work in classrooms in the position of teacher assistants while some of our fall/spring semester teacher assistants may not be available. Teacher Assistants help teachers and children with classroom activities, supervising outside, reading to children, playing games and assisting with lunch. The ECDC children adore the college student involvement in the classrooms as they provide extra attention, extra hands, extra laps and extra smiles. Fall and spring break full time and part time college student teacher assistant positions are available.

For more information, contact Jennifer Wray at ECDC-SMC (jwray@saintmarys.edu or 574-284-4693) or Tammi Kunz at ECDC-ND (tkunzecdc@gmail.com or 574-631-3344). If you can’t go to warmer weather for your break – this is a great experience!

Summer Employment

During the Summer Program, ECDC hires college students to work full time as temporary seasonal employees (some part time summer positions are available). All college student summer employees must be available the week before the ECDC summer program begins for orientation and for the entire nine week summer program. The 2024 summer program begins June 10th and ends August 9th.

College students who join the ECDC team for the Summer Program work with degreed ECDC teachers and staff to provide project based and recreational activities in the ECDC classrooms, in the ECDC outdoor environments, and in the greater Michiana community. ECDC’s summer program enrolls children ages 2.5 through 10 years.

To apply, please submit an employment application and three letters of recommendation to Kari Alford (kalford@saintmarys.edu or 574-631-3344. Interviews with the most qualified summer applicants will be scheduled for March and April. It is helpful if application materials are submitted by March 1st, however, we will accept applicant materials on a roll in basis throughout spring semester. College students who have volunteered or completed practicum work with ECDC are given priority in the hiring process for both school year and summer college student positions.

Wages: Starting pay is between $14-$15/hour based on experience and there is an opportunity to work earlier in May, extended time in August, and also to continue working part-time in the fall.

Areas of Expertise: We are also looking for college students who might be interested in teaching Spanish, chess, tennis or soccer to groups of our children. If you have this special interest or another interest that young children might be interested in learning, please indicate such on your employment application.

More about summer employment at ECDC.

Early Childhood Development Center, Inc. provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.

This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and training.