Exploring Roles in the ECE Community: National/Federal Level

My last post discussed opportunities that I would like to investigate further in my local community.  This week I will explore opportunities for me to pursue my passion on a national or federal level.  While moving into a position with organizations such as the ones I researched would be a major transition, I feel that simply by learning about the work being performed by these organizations will aid my search for the position that is right for me.

I began searching for organizations that I felt I would like to add to my ever-growing community of practice.  One organization that I feel centers around beliefs that compose a portion of my professional mission and vision is the Fred Rogers Center.  Their desire is to grow “confident, competent, and caring” individuals (Fred Rogers Center, n.d.), who value human connections, empathy, and compassion.  As they are located within the St. Vincent College in Latrobe, Pennsylvania, my search was through the college’s website.  While they are currently only offering open positions on their main campus, this is certainly an organization I will be keeping a close eye on as they are located less than two hours from my current place of residence. 

Secondly, my search took me to NASBE (National Association of State Boards of Education).  This organization exists to “serve and strengthen State Boards of Education in their pursuit of high levels of academic achievement for all students” (NASBE, n.d.).  This organization was not offering any current full-time employment opportunities, but they do offer recurring internship experiences in non-profit and public sector.  These internships afford individuals the chance to work with board members, policy experts, education leaders, and government officials.  I do not know that this would be the right opportunity for this particular period in my career, but I do know that it would be an exceptionally valuable experience and would highly recommend it to others seeking a pathway to rewarding work in the field of early childhood.

Finally, I considered the available options with NIEER (National Institute for Early Education Research).  They are considering graduate students and upper-class undergrads for positions as data collectors to aid their research.  I think that this would be a great opportunity for students in the area, as they require several full-days of on-site training, but is unfortunately not a position that is open to me currently.  This organization is also searching for an assistant research professor at Rutgers University, where the group is based.  This position requires a doctorate degree and a strong knowledge of research methodology, and while it is not something that I am professionally prepared for, it certainly sounds like the organization has a strong foundation of substantial data from which they base their conclusions. 

I always find it interesting to research the interesting positions available in our field.  It strengthens my own desires and causes me to realize that there is truly a place for everyone to make a difference for children and families.  The greater I stretch my ambition and my boundaries, the more likely I will find the position that is meant for me. 

References

Fred Rogers Center.  (n.d.)  About Us. Retrieved from http://www.fredrogerscenter.org/about/saint-vincent-college/

National Association of State Boards of Education. (n.d.) Employment.  Retrieved from http://www.nasbe.org/about-us/employment/

National Institute for Early Education Research.  (n.d.).  Job Opportunities.  Retrieved from http://www.nieer.org/about/jobs