Emily Williamson, director of the ULM Child Development Center, recently presented at the Louisiana Department of Education’s Division of Career and Technical Education’s Super Summer Institute 2008 July 27 – Aug. 1 in New Orleans.

The conference theme was “Building the Bridge for Tomorrow’s Workforce.” Williamson and her co-presenter, Dr. Janie Humphries, professor of child development from Louisiana Tech University, conducted a three-day workshop session titled “CDA-Child Development Associate.”

The CDA is a nationally recognized industry-based certification with the goal of improving the quality of childcare by focusing on the competence of childcare workers.

Participants were high school family and consumer sciences teachers from across Louisiana. They received instruction and materials to be used with high school students working toward CDA certification and enrolled in Early Childhood Education I and II courses.

Williamson stated that the CDA is often the first step teachers in the childcare industry and Head Start programs complete prior to enrolling in university programs. She also mentioned that the CDA is the first educational level recognized by Quality Start, Louisiana’s new Child Care Quality Rating System.