The Quality Counts Career Center in Miami-Dade

The Quality Counts Career Center in Miami-Dade assists child care practitioners by increasing their knowledge, skills, and qualifications for teaching in early care and education settings. The mission of the Quality Counts Career Center is to remove the barriers that prevent the early care and education workforce from returning to school and receiving the training they need to progress in the early childhood field. Research shows that better trained teachers provide higher quality care and education experiences that lead to improved outcomes for young children.

Operated by the Children's Forum and funded by the Children's Trust and the Early Learning Coalition of Miami-Dade/Monroe, the Quality Counts Career Center provides the following services to help those who work with young children achieve their career goals and realize their dreams:

Career Advising

The Quality Counts Career Center employs trained career advisors to help child care practitioners develop a plan to meet their goals. Whether help is needed to obtain a GED, apply and register for college classes, translate transcripts or consider an advanced degree in early childhood, career advisors are available to help explore available options. An individualized plan to get child care practitioners from where they are to where they want to be is jointly developed to chart the future course for achieving their goals.

Scholarships and Financial Aid

One of the most common barriers for those working in the early care and education is the lack of funding to pursue educational opportunities. The Quality Counts Career Center advisors provide resources to help child care practitioners pay for educational expenses. College financial aid, the Teacher Education and Compensation Helps Early Childhood^® Scholarship Program (T.E.A.C.H.), also administered by the Forum, and scholarship funding provided by the Children's Trust can be accessed depending on availability and other established priorities.

Training Registry

The Miami-Dade Early Care and Education Registry serves as a repository of individuals' information regarding current and previous employment history in the early childhood field, credentials earned, and additional training activities completed - essentially becoming a transcript of professional development. By providing one central location for recording and validating credentials, the Registry is a valuable tool for the early care and education workforce by informing policy decisions and establishing community needs.

Professional Development Information

The Quality Counts Career Center maintains an official website with information on upcoming training, educational opportunities, resources and important links for child care practitioners. To access this information and learn more about upcoming professional opportunities in the Miami-Dade area, visit www.QCCareers.org.