The State Diploma for Early Childhood Educators (DEEJE) is a level 6 (bachelor’s degree) qualification, structured around skills in designing, implementing, and coordinating educational actions for children under seven years old. This academic and practical requirement makes the training difficult to reduce to a fully digital curriculum. However, several pathways allow for preparation for this profession by combining distance learning with field periods.
DEEJE and distance learning: what the diploma concretely requires
The DEEJE includes a mandatory component of practical internships in childcare settings. This regulatory constraint prevents anyone from obtaining the diploma without physical immersion with children and educational teams.
Recommended read : How to View Private Instagram Stories for Free: Essential Tools of the Moment
In practice, the training alternates between theoretical teachings and internship periods in crèches, daycare centers, maternal and child protection services, or medico-social establishments. No organization offers the DEEJE in 100% distance learning.
Candidates who wish to become early childhood educators remotely therefore turn to two distinct strategies: preparing for entrance exams to schools remotely or aiming for the diploma through the validation of acquired experience (VAE) after a career in early childhood.
Recommended read : How to Burn Calories by Walking for 1 Hour?
Preparation for the EJE competition remotely: steps and selection criteria
Entry into the DEEJE training program involves a competition organized by one of the accredited institutions. Those eligible to apply include holders of a baccalaureate, a title registered in the RNCP at level 4 minimum, or candidates benefiting from validation of studies or experience in accordance with Article L. 613-5 of the Education Code.
Several training organizations offer a distance preparation for the competition exams. This preparation focuses on general knowledge related to the social and educational fields, written tests, and oral interviews before a jury.
Points to check before enrolling
- The program covers the four areas of competence of the DEEJE reference framework (welcome and support, educational action, teamwork, institutional dynamics) to prepare for the oral exams coherently
- The organization offers personalized follow-up with tailored corrections and at least one simulation of an oral interview remotely
- Reviews from former candidates mention a success rate in the competition or, failing that, support until actual enrollment in a school
Distance preparation does not exempt one from confronting the field. Completing voluntary internships or volunteering in early childhood settings significantly enhances the application and credibility before the jury.
VAE for early childhood educators: a concrete pathway for professionals in position
The validation of acquired experience allows for obtaining the DEEJE without going through initial training again. This pathway is aimed at individuals who can demonstrate significant experience directly related to the functions of early childhood educators.
The VAE process occurs in several phases: admissibility of the file (booklet 1), writing of booklet 2 detailing the acquired skills, and then defense before a jury. The entire process can span several months.
Profiles concerned by the VAE EJE
Childcare assistants, holders of the CAP AEPE who have been in position for several years, or heads of childcare facilities who already perform educational tasks are the profiles most frequently engaged in this process. The VAE values the work done in the field, not an academic background.
VAE support from a specialized organization can be done entirely remotely: methodological interviews via videoconference, reviewing booklet 2, preparing for the oral defense. The candidate remains autonomous in writing and analyzing their professional practice.
CAP AEPE remotely: the first step towards the EJE profession
For individuals without experience in early childhood, the CAP Educational Assistant for Early Childhood (CAP AEPE) represents an accessible first step. This level 3 diploma can be fully prepared remotely with several training organizations, with internships in a childcare setting to be completed in parallel.
The CAP AEPE does not directly grant access to the position of early childhood educator. It allows one to work in crèches, kindergartens, or with childminders, and to accumulate the necessary professional experience to later apply for the DEEJE competition or engage in a VAE.
This two-step pathway (CAP AEPE remotely followed by competition or VAE) represents the most realistic trajectory for a career change towards the EJE profession without immediately leaving one’s job.
Funding and organization of a distance learning pathway
Preparatory training for the EJE competition, the CAP AEPE remotely, and VAE support can be funded through the personal training account (CPF), by OPCOs for employees, or by France Travail for job seekers.
- The CPF covers most preparations for the CAP AEPE and some preparations for the EJE competition, provided that the training is registered in the RNCP or the specific directory
- OPCOs fund VAE pathways for employees in the early childhood sector, including methodological support
- France Travail can supplement the funding of a diploma training as part of a career change project validated by an advisor
Checking eligibility for funding before committing avoids unpleasant surprises. Serious organizations systematically specify the compatible schemes with their offer.
The pathway to becoming an early childhood educator remotely remains a commitment of several months, sometimes several years if the career change starts from scratch. Distance training structures the theoretical part and preparation for the exams, but contact with the field, internships, and educational practice remain the foundation of the state diploma.