Quick Links
To view currently available Fundamentals trainings:
Visit the Northern Lights Calendar
For information on how to register for Fundamentals:
To receive an email when registration for Fundamentals is available:
Fundamentals Overview
Fundamentals for Early Childhood Professionals is a 45-hour training series designed to build a foundation of knowledge and best practice skills for professionals working with groups of children ages birth to eight years old. This training series is based on the NAEYC Professional Standards and Competencies for Early Childhood Educators.
Northern Lights at CCV offers Fundamentals for Early Childhood Professionals three times per year, following CCV’s semester schedule (fall, spring, summer). To view all sections of Fundamentals that are currently open for registration, please CLICK HERE. If there are no sections of Fundamentals currently open for registration, you can fill out an interest form and we will notify you when any additional sections are open for registration.
Fundamentals for Early Childhood Professionals is designed to include multiple benefits for participants. This training series:
- Meets the education requirement for the Teacher Assistant role in center-based child care programs
- Meets the education requirement for registered Family Child Care Home providers
- Offers one way to meet the coursework requirements for Level 1 of the Vermont Early Childhood Career Ladder *
- Incorporates components of the Child Development Associate (CDA) – both training in required subject areas and practice in CDA components (see modules and the back of letter of completion)
- Includes an opportunity to practice planning, being observed, and getting specific responsive, positive feedback about working with young children, and
- Introduces and provides practice in creating an Individual Professional Development Plan.
Updates to Fundamentals
Effective Fall 2025, Northern Lights at CCV now offers a revised Fundamentals curriculum with an enhanced format. The new training series includes many of the same benefits but with more flexibility. This 45-hour training is now available with two hours of instruction on Zoom and one hour of online work per week. This new version of Fundamentals will meet the childcare licensing staff qualifications requirement and part of the coursework requirement for Level 1 of the Early Childhood Career Ladder *. If you have additional questions, or would like to discuss your options, please contact your Resource Advisor.
Introduction to Licensing/Basic Specialized Care
As of Fall 2025, Introduction to Licensing and Basic Specialized Care are no longer included in the curriculum of Fundamentals. Please note the following information about these trainings:
Introduction to Licensing: completion of Introduction to Licensing is a requirement for Fundamentals. This training will be offered at multiple times throughout the semester to provide more flexibility for registrants. To register for an Introduction to Licensing training, please visit the Northern Lights Training Calendar.
Basic Specialized Care: completion of Basic Specialized care is not a requirement for Fundamentals. If you wish to take Basic Specialized Care, please visit the Northern Lights Training Calendar.
*Completion of Introduction to Licensing is required for the coursework component of Level 1 of the Early Childhood Career Ladder.
Information for Organizations
Northern Lights at CCV monitors and supports the Fundamentals for Early Childhood Professionals training series. An organization who wishes to offer Fundamentals for Early Childhood Professionals must meet three criteria:
- The Instructor must be a Certified or Master instructor in the Vermont Instructor Registry (or be willing to join);
- The Sponsor and the Instructor must use the established Fundamentals curriculum materials; and
- The Sponsor and Instructor must maintain contact with Northern Lights including completing the provided evaluations.
If you are interested in offering a Fundamentals for Early Childhood Professionals training series at your Career and Technical Education center or other location, please see the links on the right for more information and contact your Resource Advisor for support. Please note that you must be pre-approved to offer the Fundamentals for Early Childhood Professionals training series and you must have a current agreement on file with Northern Lights at CCV.
For information about current and upcoming trainings, visit the Northern Lights training calendar.
