Step-by-step guide to create your Career Pathway Account.

When applying for the Career Pathway Certificate you are required to submit supporting documentation. The required documentation is a copy of your resume and your education documentation: high school diploma/high school transcript showing graduation date, GED, or a copy of your official college transcripts as well as any other certifications that are relevant such as your ACDS Department of Labor Certificate or ACDS Semester Completion Certificates, CDA Credential, Vocational Certificate, etc.

Edie Prino
40 steps
5 minutes

Wvregistry

Wvstars

If you are employed by a licensed child care center then you are required to be a Career Pathway Participant and not a Registry Participant.

Navigate to [https://wvstars.org/](https://wvstars.org/)

Click "Professionals"

Click on "Join WV STARS Career Pathway Applicant"

**Complete Applicant Information –** **Required Steps have an asterisk (\*)** **Create a Temporary Login Id – This should be a combination of your first and last names (i.e. dsmith).** Once your application has been approved you WV STARS Registry Id Number will be your login id.

**Create your Password – (i.e. Dsmith23!)** Recommended practices in developing passwords are as follows: - 8 characters at a minimum - Include a mixture of lower-case letters, upper case letters, numbers, and special characters.

**Confirm Password** – if you make a mistake the system will let you know.

**Enter your first name** and then enter your middle name or initial, this is not a required field but it is helpful to have as much distinguishing information as possible.

**Enter your last name** as well as any previous last names that me be pertinent to your school and career history (i.e. maiden name).

**Enter your date of birth.**

**Enter line one of your mailing address,** enter line two of your mailing address if necessary.

**Enter the city where you currently reside.**

**Select the state where you currently reside from the drop-down menu.**

**Enter the zip code of the city where you reside.**

**Select your county of residence from the drop-down menu -** if you live in another state you will select "Out of state".

**Enter your primary phone number.**

**Enter your primary email address -** please make sure this is valid, as this is the primary way WV STARS will communicate with you.

Click "**Next** »" to move to the next section.

**Participation Agreement** - read and click Agree.

Click "**Next** »" to move to the next section.

**Current Employment Information:** Click the radio button beside "Currently working in early care and education". - *if not currently working in the field, click the radio button beside "Not currently working in the early care and education".*

**Employer Type** - click on the arrow on the drop-down box and select the option from the drop-down menu that best represents your employment type. - *if you selected "Not currently working in early care and education" than you will see a drop-down menu that lists the counties, you will select your county from the list, then your next step will be selecting your Professional Role (step 28).*

**County** - click on the arrow on the drop-down box and select the primary county you serve.

**Choose your employer** from the drop-down menu.

**Hire Date** - enter the date you began your employment or started taking care of children in your home.

**Hours Worked Per Week** - enter the average amount of hours you work per week.

**Months Worked Per Year** - if you work year-round you will enter 12; if you only care for children during the school year you can enter 10, etc.

**Position Title** - select the option that best represent you.

**Age Group Worked With** - select the age group(s) that you work with, you can select multiple age groups if needed by holding the control button on your keyboard.

**Benefits** - select all that apply, if none are offered select N/A.

**Professional Role** - click on Add New - Occupation Category - select Early Care and Education Professional. - Occupation - select the role that you generally perform whether employed or not employed. - Click Save

Click "**Next** »" to move to the next section.

**Demographics** (choose responses from the drop-down menus) - Gender - optional - Race/Ethnicity - optional - Primary Language - required - Highest Level of Education - required

Click "**Next** »" to move to the next section.

**Next Steps** - select the **Career Pathway Applicant** option from the drop-down menu. Then click on **Register**.

**Submitting Your Supporting Documentation** Click on "**Career Pathway Credential Application Submission**"

Click on the arrow to open the drop-down menu and click on "**Career Pathway Credential**".

Click "**Apply**" to open the submission boxes.

Experience in Early Care and Education - this is where you will upload a copy of your current resume. - Click on **Add New** - Click on **Upload** to select the file from your computer. - Once you have selected the correct file you will then need to enter your years of experience working in the field of early care and education, if none then enter 0. - Click **Save** - you will know you did it correctly as under Verification Status it will show as pending.

**Formal Education -** you will upload your education documentation here, there are two boxes in which you can do so, it does not matter which box you choose. Acceptable documentation is a copy of your high school diploma or high school transcript showing graduation date; if you are currently enrolled in high school or a GED program you can upload a letter stating this from your school/GED program; a copy of an official college transcript. - Click on Add New Degree - Academic Institution – if your school is listed then you may select it from the drop-down box - Institution Not Listed Above – if your school was not listed, then you will enter it here. - Degree – if your degree is listed you may select if from the drop-down box Degree Not Listed Above – if it was not listed **or** you are entering your high school diploma/GED then you can enter that information in this box. - Date Earned – enter the date that your college degree or high school diploma/GED was earned. - Click on Upload to select your documentation from your computer. - Click on Save – you will know you did it correctly as it will show as pending on your screen.

Click **Update Information**

Timeline for Review – 30 days 1. Once you submit your application, you will receive an email from [wvreigstry.org](http://wvreigstry.org) stating your application has been received and is in process. 2. When your Registry profile has been approved, you will receive an email from [wvregistry.org](http://wvregistry.org) providing you with your WV STARS Registry Id Number. Please note that some email providers will view this email as being spam and you may need to check your spam/junk folders as well. If you have had no response within 30 days of submission, please contact our office at [wvstars@rvcds.org](mailto:wvstars@rvcds.org) or 304-522-7827 3. When you have been awarded a Career Pathway Level you will receive another email from [wvregistry.org](http://wvregistry.org) stating your approval and your level. Your Career Pathway Certificate will be mailed to the address on your profile.

[[This program is being presented with financial assistance as a grant from the West Virginia Department of Health and the West Virginia Department of Human Services and is administered by West Virginia Early Childhood Training Connections and Resources, a program of River Valley Child Development Services]]