How to Develop an ECE Apprenticeship Program

Our initiative, the Early Childhood Workforce Connector (ECWC), released the Guide to Early Childhood Education (ECE) Registered Apprenticeship (RA) Program Development to support organizations, employers, and partners interested in developing and launching ECE RA programs.

ECWC hosted a virtual webinar, Your How-To Guide: Early Childhood Education (ECE) Registered Apprenticeship (RA) Program Development, as a complement to the guide to walk readers through the key considerations to develop and launch an ECE RA program. The webinar explored key strategic considerations, assessing organizational capacity, and the steps needed to develop and implement RA programs that create meaningful, accessible career pathways for the ECE workforce.

The webinar featured two of ECWC’s partners who are actively developing and managing RA programs to advance the ECE workforce. These partners shared insights into their development process, key partnerships, and lessons learned along the way.

Audience

This webinar was designed to educate early childhood educators, program directors, apprentices, advocates, and policymakers who are interested in learning more about how to develop and strengthen ECE RA programs.

Learning Objectives

After watching this recording, viewers will be able to:

• Navigate the Guide to ECE RA Program Development
• Understand promising practices for designing strong, sustainable ECE RA programs
• Apply strategies to strengthen the early childhood workforce
• Identify ways ECWC can support their ECE RA efforts

View the Recording

Meet the Panelists

Marian Grant-Whitlock
Early Childhood Education and Technical Assistance Liaison, ECWC
Marian brings more than 30 years of experience supporting child care centers, Child Care Resource & Referral agencies, and military-connected programs. Her work is grounded in a strong commitment to inclusion, literacy, and social-emotional development, combining hands-on experience with systems-level insight.

Kimberly Farris
Apprenticeship Subject Matter Expert, ECWC
With a decade of experience advancing apprenticeship programs, Kimberly brings deep expertise in program design and operations, regulatory compliance, and cross-sector collaboration. She has led initiatives that support career pathway development, working closely with organizations to build stackable, high-quality apprenticeship programs. 

Laura White
Director of Operations, Quality Care for Children
Over the past 12 years, Laura has advanced from frontline specialist to enterprise-level leader, overseeing workforce development initiatives across three regional offices spanning 48 Georgia counties. She is developing an ECE RA program in partnership with ECWC.

Shandeen Gomez
Director, Urban Strategies Early Head Start
With more than 25 years of experience in early childhood education, Shandeen has worked in a variety of capacities supporting young children, families, and communities. Her extensive background and commitment to high-quality early learning have helped drive program excellence and positive outcomes for children and families across Phoenix, Arizona.