United Way of Southeastern Connecticut is hosting an Early Care & Education Career Fair on Tuesday, August 19, 2025, from 3:00 to 7:00 p.m. at the United Way office, located at 283 Stoddards Wharf Road, Gales Ferry.
This event is an opportunity for individuals interested in a fulfilling career working with young children to connect directly with employers in the early childhood education field. Attendees will have the chance to participate in on-site interviews and should come prepared to complete an application.
Applicants are encouraged to bring a resume, transcripts (unofficial or official), and professional references.
Organizations that will be in attendance are: TVCCA Little Learners, Bright Beginnings of Norwich, Riverfront Children's Center, Child & Family Agency, and Tiny Sprouts Playhouse.
The event is hosted in collaboration with the Southeastern CT Childcare Collective, a community partnership aimed at strengthening the region’s early care and education workforce. It is part of United Way's work under its impact area, Youth Opportunity.
New London County is experiencing a childcare crisis that is negatively impacting many facets of our community; access to quality programs for developing children, parents who need care for their children so they can work, employers struggling to hire due to these barriers, and childcare providers with significant educator vacancies.
In New London County alone, there is a 41% gap between licensed program capacity and parent demand for infant/toddler and preschool program availability while childcare providers are operating 13% below even this capacity due to educator vacancies. To meet actual demand in the county, over 900 additional educators are needed to enter the workforce at existing and new childcare provider locations.
The Collective’s goal is to close the 41% availability gap by 500 seats in five years.