In 2017, the Southern New Hampshire Services and Department of Labor Early Childhood Apprenticeship Apprenticeships: An arrangement between a developing educator and an employer (e.g., a child care program) that allows the educator to participate in on-the-job professional learning and related coursework. Apprenticeship programs are often sponsored by government agencies and/or non-profit organizations. Program (ECAP) was established. Combining classroom instruction and work experience, the apprenticeship program hopes to increase the apprentice’s skill level and wages while enhancing the quality of care. ECAP apprentices can obtain a Childcare Development Specialist Certificate from the Department of Labor and the New Hampshire Bureau of Child Care Licensing and a credential to teach in a child care center. The program lasts 1.5 years, and participants earn college credit through Community College System of New Hampshire or Granite State College.
Sources:
New Hampshire Connections. (n.d.). USDOL Early Childhood Registered Apprenticeship Program.
Southern New Hampshire Services. (n.d.). Early Childhood Apprenticeship Program.
Connections to Key Early Learning Study at Harvard (ELS@H) Findings:
The early education workforce is the foundation upon which all daily work and any expansion and quality improvement efforts rest. Research suggests that states and cities should invest in the workforce across all early education setting types, focusing on enhancing educators’ professional learning, compensation, and workplace conditions.
Findings from the Early Learning Study at Harvard (ELS@H) show:
- Early educators play a critical role in supporting the well-being of young children and families across setting types.
- Yet their pay, benefits, and other professional supports are often inadequate in light of the job demands and their cost of living.