The registered Early Childhood Education (ECE) Apprenticeship is designed as a Career Pathway option for early childhood educators to transition from a CDA to an associates degree (AA) or bachelors degree (BA) while working in an early childhood classroom.

Sponsored by 1199c Training & Upgrading Fund, employers can support apprentices through a combination of credit-bearing on-the-job learning, classroom instruction, mentorship and credit for prior learning. Apprenticeship seeks to streamline a career pathway and lowers barriers to higher education including financial challenges and logistical concerns such as time commitment, child care, transportation or access to technology.

The Apprenticeship includes onsite job coaching, competency assessment and incremental wage increases as skills, competencies & knowledge progress ensuring each apprentice is supported through their educational endeavors.

This professional preparation is grounded in evidence based structures that support developmentally and culturally appropriate Professional Development for ECE professionals working to provide high-quality early learning services to children and families.

1. Video: Pennsylvania Early Childhood Education Registered Apprenticeship
2. Registered Apprenticeships: A Viable Career Path for the Early Childhood Workforce
3. How Apprenticeship Helps Educators Achieve Once Out Of Reach Career Goals
4. Apprenticeship as a Degree Attainment Strategy for the Early Childhood Workforce
5. Program Tool Kit: CDA to AA ECE Registered Apprenticeships 
6. Applying Knowledge to Practice: How Degree Apprenticeships Support Early Educators (NAEYC Young Children, September 2019)
7. Literature Review of Resources for ECE