Child care

The child care industry in Minnesota has a profound impact on families, communities and the overall economy. It supports working parents by providing a safe and nurturing environment for their children while at work or pursuing educational opportunities.

Despite the high need for this service, there is a gap in services, and child care providers struggle to keep up with demand for talented workers. For example, in 2023 there were almost 11,500 preschool teachers in Minnesota with a projection of 12,439 open positions through 2030.

Validated occupational competency summaries

• Early childhood director

• Early childhood educator

The approach to developing competency standards is found in Minnesota law. The information that informs the development of competency standards comes from a variety of sources that include but are not limited to:  Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development; Minnesota laws and rules; Minnesota state agencies and licensing boards; O-NET Online; Competency Model Clearinghouse from the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration; state, national and international trade associations and advocacy organizations; job postings and job descriptions; higher education resources; and input from attendees of industry forums, competency council meetings, public events and meetings conducted by DLI staff members.

Questions?

Contact us at PIPELINE.Program@state.mn.us.