Childhood pedagogy / child education: training, further education, provider overview, self-test

If you have completed an apprenticeship as a Childcare Specialist EFZ (FaBe) or an equivalent qualification, you are entitled to start further training as a Childhood Educator HF (formerly Kindererzieher HF / Kindererzieherin HF) directly after your apprenticeship, provided you pass the aptitude test.

If you have a non-specialist apprenticeship qualification or a baccalaureate, a vocational baccalaureate, a federally recognized technical secondary school certificate or another equivalent qualification, it is not possible to study for an HF degree directly after graduation. In such a case, in addition to the aptitude assessment, a pre-study internship of at least 400 hours in the field of childhood education must first be completed. At least 800 hours for persons with a purely school-based educational background.

A criminal record or ongoing criminal proceedings against you is only an obstacle to admission to the HF degree program in Childhood Education if this is incompatible with your future professional activity in child education. However, in individual cases this should always be discussed personally with the relevant higher education institution, which will be able to advise you individually.

Yes, it is possible to complete a shortened HF course to become a childhood educator with an apprenticeship qualification as a FaBe (childcare specialist).

In this case, the course lasts at least 3600 learning hours. By way of comparison, an HF degree course in childhood education for people with another upper secondary level qualification takes at least 5400 learning hours.

As a childcare specialist (FaBe) with a federal certificate of competence (EFZ), you have the option of shortened training in childhood education. The HF training course is generally shortened by one year with this previous training.

Specialists in childhood education with an HF diploma perform specialist and management tasks within supplementary family and supplementary school care, are responsible for quality assurance and concept development, work with parents and can perform organizational tasks. Child educators HF work in daycare centers, crèches, after-school care centers, lunch tables, socio-cultural or inpatient facilities or other public and private institutions.

For admission to the HF program for Childhood Educators (formerly Kindererzieher HF / Kindererzieherin HF), it is ideal if you have a Federal Certificate of Competence (EFZ) as a Childcare Specialist (FaBe) or an equivalent qualification.

However, you can also start training at a college of higher education in childhood education with a different EFZ. In this case, however, practical experience of at least 400 hours is required.

If you do not already have an EFZ as a FaBe or other equivalent training, you must have at least 400 hours of pre-study work experience in a child education facility for the HF course in childhood education. In the case of purely school-based training, this number increases to at least 800 hours.

Training in childhood education is offered both part-time and full-time.

It is best to ask the school of your choice directly which teaching models they offer.

It is possible to study full-time to become a childhood educator (formerly a child educator) or to complete a part-time course.

A full-time course is a school-based course that includes one or more internships. In the part-time version, you will work at least 50% of the time in a childcare facility during the course.