Jason Keays, Child Care Worker
Union Street Preschool Centre
Fredericton, New Brunswick

Jason Keays started work at the Preschool Centre in 1997, filling in for the cook. Today, he works in the four-year-old room, where he and another staff member teach a group of 20 children.

Jason is one of the few males in an occupation that is about 96% female. He hasn’t completed any formal training in early childhood education, but has attended many workshops, short training programs and professional development sessions.

Jason’s workplace is one of three programs operated by a non-profit co-operative. The programs employ 39 full-time staff, three cooks, a number of part-time teacher aides and three administrators responsible for day-to-day operations. More than 350 children are enrolled in the programs.

Jason’s main responsibility is to plan for, and deliver, an age-appropriate program for the children. His other duties include supervising and evaluating students on field placements, training teacher aides for children with special needs and meeting regularly with parents.

Jason says the rewards of his job include watching children reach developmental milestones and providing them with a developmental environment that’s fun.