The National Association of Career Colleges (NACC) is pleased to announce a new articulation agreement with the Ontario Institute of Health and Innovation (OIHI), creating a pathway for graduates of NACC Certified Early Childhood Assistant (ECA) programs to advance into OIHI’s CECE-approved Early Childhood Education (ECE) Diploma Program.

Through this agreement, eligible graduates from NACC Certified ECA programs may receive advanced standing and transfer credits toward OIHI’s ECE diploma. This pathway helps recognize the learning students have already completed while supporting their continued education and career development in early childhood education.

Eligible graduates who meet OIHI’s admission requirements and hold a minimum cumulative average of 80% may receive credit for up to seven academic modules, helping reduce the time and tuition needed to complete their credential.

“This agreement is really about recognizing the hard work students have already put in, and making it easier for them to start their careers” said Michael Sangster, CEO of NACC. “We’re creating pathways that reduces barriers and give graduates a clearer route to apply the skills they learned in a way that means something to them.”

For many students, career-focused training is one step in a longer education and career journey. Clear pathways between programs help ensure that learning can build over time, giving graduates more options to continue advancing without starting over.

This type of agreement also helps strengthen student mobility by recognizing the value of prior learning while maintaining the academic standards needed for continued study.

Early childhood educators play an important role in supporting communities. By creating a more accessible pathway into the profession, this agreement helps graduates continue developing the skills and credentials needed to grow in this important field. To learn more about OIHI’s Early Childhood Education Diploma Program, visit www.oihi.ca.