NASHUA – In response to a lack of training in early childhood education, Nashua Community College, in concert with the YMCA of Greater Nashua, will be launching Growth and Development of the Young Child, a new early childhood education course, this fall.

“The hope is to increase the number of early childhood education graduates to provide high-quality education for young children in area childcare centers and increase New Hampshire’s early childhood workforce,” said Lisa Furman, the early childhood program coordinator at NCC.

The Merrimack branch is the YMCA’s largest childcare center in New Hampshire with 340 children every day. The branch offers before-and-after school care, summer programs and drop-in care for parents who exercise at the YMCA.

Childcare will be available for NCC students during class time. Using the Dual Enrollment program, the course will also be open to high school sophomores, juniors and seniors.

“We are excited to partner with Nashua Community College to help address the shortage of early educators in our community. Providing these educational opportunities to individuals interested in exploring a career in education or looking to further their own education is a blessing,” said Michael LaChance, CEO of the YMCA of Greater Nashua. “Our state is facing a critical gap in accessible childcare to support families going to work and addressing that gap begins with attracting more educators to the field. There’s a trickle-down effect to this: with more experienced and educated child care professionals in the community, more child care opportunities will be available to families, and employers will then have a larger pool of employees. This is both a youth development issue and an economic issue. We are proud to partner with NCC to help close this gap and bring more incredible people to the field of early education.”

Information sessions will be held at the Merrimack YMCA on July 26 and Aug. 9 at 5 p.m. New students must register by Aug. 22 as orientation will be held on Aug. 23 at 5:30 p.m. The course itself will begin on Aug. 30 at 5:30 p.m.