Hawke's Bay early childhood teachers will be able to get a degree qualification, matching their primary and secondary colleagues.
The new Bachelor of Teaching (Early Childhood Education) is soon to be offered in the region alongside 13 other regions around the country.
New Zealand Childcare Association (NZCA) chief executive Nancy Bell saidthe sector needed well qualified and well-prepared teachers.
"NZCA has been an established national provider of level seven teacher education diplomas for many years - however, teachers increasingly see a degree as the entry level to their profession," she said.
"As well as including international theory and research underpinning the field, our degree has a unique Aotearoa focus which brings Maori and Pasifika knowledge to the foreground."
Students also learn while they work in centres, maintaining a strong relationship between theory and practice.
The education sector union NZEI welcomed the new degree saying it would open up opportunities, particularly for people living and working in smaller communities.
It was ironic that the qualification was being offered at a time when the government was taking away millions of dollars from centres and services which had more than 80 per cent qualified staff, NZEI Vice President Judith Nowotarski said.
Studying will be based at the NZCA Hawke's Bay teaching base on the corner of Corner Lyndon Rd and Warren St, Hastings.
