Extended Care Directors: How to Become One
If you were to ask a group of extended care directors about how they arrived at their current job, there's a good chance you would get several different answers about the paths and steps that each person took.
That said, there are still ways that you can develop a baseline understanding of the preparation that is necessary to become one.
The Best Adult Colleges and Careers Guide has gathered data to provide you with insight into the type of education that's commonly required for extended care directors to land a job. This page contains information, sourced from real job postings, that describes the experience levels and specific skills that employers of extended care directors expect candidates to have. In the end, this information will help you create an education or professional development plan that aligns with your career aspirations.
Keep reading to learn more about career steps for extended care directors.
What Education & Experience is Needed for Extended Care Directors?
Do extended care directors need a degree? What kind of experience do extended care directors typically need? Thanks to data sourced from Lightcast™ from real job postings, we can get some clarity on those questions, as well as the level of education that is commonly required for extended care directors to secure jobs.
Education Level Required in Job Postings for Extended Care Directors
Jobs Postings for Extended Care Directors By Education
- Bachelor's degree: 8,086 (39%)
- No Education Listed: 6,087 (30%)
- High School or GED: 3,628 (18%)
- Master's degree: 2,462 (12%)
- Ph.D. or professional degree: 261 (1%)
A bachelor's degree is the level of education sought the most by employers of extended care directors. According to job data, a bachelor's degree was required for 39% of positions. In 30% of job listings no education level was listed and in 18% of postings a High School diploma or GED was required.
Experience Level Required in Job Postings for Extended Care Directors
Jobs Postings for Extended Care Directors By Experience
- 0-1 Years: 2,990 (28%)
- 2-3 Years: 5,488 (52%)
- 4-6 Years: 1,844 (17%)
- 7-9 Years: 136 (1%)
- 10+ Years: 150 (1%)
While the amount of required experience will vary based on the responsibility and seniority of the position, an aggregate view of job posting data can help paint a picture of the experience level sought for most job openings for extended care directors. In 52% of job postings for Extended Care Directors, employers were looking for candidates with 2-3 years of experience. In 28% of listings employers were looking for candidates with 0-1 years of experience, while 4-6 years of experience was sought in 17% of job postings for extended care directors.
What Kind of Degree Do Extended Care Directors Need?
So far this page has provided detail into the level of education and the amount of experience required in job openings for extended care directors, but what type of education or degree will help prepare you for a career in the field?
According to occupational data obtained through Lightcast,™ there are 14 key academic programs that can help prepare prospective extended care directors, and in 2023 a total of 114,256 of those programs were completed at institutions in the United States.
Check out the information below to learn more about the specific programs that should be considered by prospective extended care directors.
Top Degree Programs for Extended Care Directors
Top 5 Degree Programs for Extended Care Directors (2023)
| Program | Completions |
|---|---|
| Educational Leadership and Administration, General. | 31,028 |
| Early Childhood Education and Teaching. | 30,483 |
| Education, General. | 27,685 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods, Other. | 6,310 |
| Education, Other. | 4,643 |
| Program | Completions |
|---|---|
| Educational Leadership and Administration, General. | 31,028 |
| Early Childhood Education and Teaching. | 30,483 |
| Education, General. | 27,685 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods, Other. | 6,310 |
| Education, Other. | 4,643 |
| Child Development. | 4,356 |
| Child Care and Support Services Management. | 3,627 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas, Other. | 2,396 |
| Educational, Instructional, and Curriculum Supervision. | 1,612 |
| Superintendency and Educational System Administration. | 1,225 |
| Educational Evaluation and Research. | 610 |
| Administration of Special Education. | 185 |
| Early Childhood Program Administration. | 78 |
| International School Administration/Leadership. | 18 |
Top Online College For Working Adults
Franklin University is a top choice for adults who need to balance school with busy lives. Founded in 1902 in Columbus, Ohio, Franklin's main focus has been serving adult students and tailoring education to fit their needs. Nonprofit and accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (hlcommission.org/800.621.7440), Franklin offers more than 50 affordable bachelor's, master's, and doctoral programs — all available 100% online.
Degree Options for Extended Care Directors
Achieve your goal of becoming a life-changing elementary school teacher in Ohio with Franklin’s Primary Education program.
- Class Type: Online coursework
- Cost Per Credit: $398
- Class Type: 100% online
- Years To Complete: 3
What Skills Do Extended Care Directors Need?
Education and experience have been covered, so what are the specific skills and traits needed by extended care directors to secure a job?
A good way to understand this is to examine actual job postings for skills commonly sought by employers. Continue reading for a breakdown of specialized skills found in job postings for extended care directors, as well as common skills that can help you thrive in the workplace.
In-Demand Skills for Today's Extended Care Directors
Based on 18,693 job postings
Top 5 Specialized Skills for Extended Care Directors
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Preschool Education | 5,087 | 27% |
| Child Development | 4,930 | 26% |
| Marketing | 1,823 | 10% |
| Working With Children | 1,560 | 8% |
| Lesson Planning | 1,386 | 7% |
Top 5 Common Skills for Extended Care Directors
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Communication | 7,558 | 40% |
| Leadership | 6,113 | 33% |
| Management | 5,721 | 31% |
| Teaching | 5,009 | 27% |
| Operations | 4,615 | 25% |
Based on 18,693 job postings related to extended care directors, preschool education was the top specialized skill sought by employers, with 27% of all postings looking for that skillset. Skills for child development, marketing, working with children, lesson planning and head start (education program) were also highly sought.
As for common skills, communication was the most desired skill found in job postings for extended care directors, followed by leadership, management, teaching, operations and planning.
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Preschool Education | 5,087 | 27% |
| Child Development | 4,930 | 26% |
| Marketing | 1,823 | 10% |
| Working With Children | 1,560 | 8% |
| Lesson Planning | 1,386 | 7% |
| Head Start (Education Program) | 1,382 | 7% |
| Early Childhood Education | 1,308 | 7% |
| Curriculum Development | 1,221 | 7% |
| Early Head Start (Education Program) | 1,186 | 6% |
| Social Work | 1,108 | 6% |
| Developmental Psychology | 1,039 | 6% |
| Primary Education | 980 | 5% |
| Human Services | 900 | 5% |
| Newsletters | 857 | 5% |
| Special Education | 773 | 4% |
| Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) | 750 | 4% |
| Billing | 676 | 4% |
| Classroom Management | 657 | 4% |
| Bilingual (Spanish/English) | 631 | 3% |
| Mental Health | 624 | 3% |
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Communication | 7,558 | 40% |
| Leadership | 6,113 | 33% |
| Management | 5,721 | 31% |
| Teaching | 5,009 | 27% |
| Operations | 4,615 | 25% |
| Planning | 3,805 | 20% |
| Customer Service | 2,465 | 13% |
| Writing | 2,213 | 12% |
| English Language | 1,904 | 10% |
| Interpersonal Communications | 1,759 | 9% |
| Coaching | 1,694 | 9% |
| Organizational Skills | 1,673 | 9% |
| Coordinating | 1,663 | 9% |
| Problem Solving | 1,587 | 8% |
| Multitasking | 1,551 | 8% |
| Budgeting | 1,490 | 8% |
| Scheduling | 1,372 | 7% |
| Lifting Ability | 1,358 | 7% |
| Supervision | 1,327 | 7% |
| Professionalism | 1,157 | 6% |
Additional Links
Ready to dig deeper into career information about extended care directors? Visit our other pages focused on salary and education for extended care directors.
What do extended care directors do?
How much do extended care directors make?
All Occupations
The Best Adult Colleges and Careers Guide has compiled data for dozens of in-demand jobs. Explore our full catalog of occupation data by visiting the link below.