The Child Care Services Course (CCSC) at Red River Community College in Manitoba offers an innovative experiential learning component for the first year of a two-year diploma program. To apply for the experiential learning program (ELP), applicants must have 2 years of full-time experience in a children's center or licensed day care home working with children between 12 weeks and 6 years of age, and read at the 10th grade level or higher. Steps in obtaining credit for experiential learning include the following: (1) the student completes a college application, a reading skills test, and a portfolio detailing his/her child care experiences and accomplishments and involvement in professional associations; (2) references are contacted for an assessment of the applicant's experience and abilities; (3) the applicant is informed of the number of transfer credits granted, the competencies to be assessed through the ELP, and the measurement techniques for each competency; (4) the student receives learning modules for each required competency and completes them, often two or three at a time, in a specified order; (5) the student's prior knowledge determines how much additional time he/she must spend to complete assignments in the learning modules and prepare for mastery tests; (6) the student contacts the ELP instructor and arranges a date for testing and the submission of assignments; and (7) after the student has received credit for all of the competencies, he/she has completed the first year of the CCSC and may enroll for the second year. Benefits of the ELP include students' ability to complete the program while working full time, costs based on the number of competencies that are challenged, a self-paced format, and the adaptability to students' schedules, place of residence, and needs. (ALB)