The Council Celebrates National Apprenticeship Week 2024

November 15, 2024

The Council for Professional Recognition is excited to celebrate the 10th anniversary of National Apprenticeship Week (NAW) on November 17- 23, 2024! Commissioned by the U.S. Department of Labor, the 2024 NAW theme, 10 Years of Engagement, Expansion, and Innovation, recognizes the thousands of events that have increased learning about Registered Apprenticeship (RA) opportunities and the impact among job seekers and employers.

The Child Development Associate® (CDA) Credential™, awarded by the Council for Professional Recognition, plays a critical role in supporting early childhood education (ECE) apprenticeship programs by providing a structured pathway for aspiring educators to develop the essential skills, knowledge, and competencies needed in the field. In collaboration with RA intermediaries, such as Early Childhood Workforce Connector (ECWC) and Early Care & Education Pathways to Success (ECEPTS), the Council offers education and resources to support the alignment of the CDA® with RAs.

Recordings are available from our 2024 Registered Apprenticeship Webinar Series exploring how the CDA can support apprenticeship programs.

Topics include:

  • Exploring Careers in Early Childhood Education by Embracing Registered Apprenticeship
  • Fueling Progress Empowering the Early Childhood Workforce through Registered Apprenticeship
  • Navigating Funding for Registered Apprenticeship
  • Accessing and Using Funding for Registered Apprenticeship
  • Addressing Pay and Benefits in ECE Jobs
  • Empowering the Early Childhood Workforce through Registered Apprenticeship Partnerships with Education Institutions
  • How the Workforce Development System Can Support Early Childhood Education Registered Apprenticeship Programs

Most recently, the Council launched a new webpage featuring ECE Registered Apprenticeship Pathways to highlight how the CDA can be the first step toward an ECE career for apprenticeship participants. The webpage includes a downloadable document illustrating how to leverage the CDA to enhance ECE Registered Apprenticeship Programs, as well as how to map out CDA® Competency Standards to work activities in Registered Apprenticeships.

In a nutshell, incorporating the CDA in Registered Apprenticeships strengthens:

  • Formalized Training and Credentialing: The CDA provides a recognized, evidence-based framework for early childhood educators to demonstrate competency in nurturing child development. Apprenticeship programs that incorporate the CDA offer apprentices structured, high-quality training that combines classroom instruction with hands-on practice. This ensures participants meet national standards for working in early childhood education.
  • Alignment with Competency-Based Education: The CDA credential focuses on specific competencies in areas like child safety, learning environment, and family engagement. Apprenticeship programs can align with these competencies, ensuring apprentices develop key skills in both theoretical and practical contexts. This helps create consistency across the workforce, raising the overall quality of care and education for young children.
  • Accessible Career Pathways: CDA supported apprenticeship programs provide an accessible pathway for individuals from diverse backgrounds to enter the ECE field. By earning a CDA credential through an apprenticeship, individuals can gain valuable experience, earn while they learn, and receive mentorship from experienced professionals. This makes the field more inclusive and supportive of career advancement, especially for individuals who may face financial or educational barriers.
  • Mentorship and On-the-Job Learning: Apprenticeship programs paired with CDA credentialing often emphasize mentorship, where experienced educators guide apprentices through their on-the-job training. This mentorship supports apprentices in applying classroom knowledge to real-world settings, ensuring they develop practical skills that meet the CDA competency standards.
  • Workforce Development and Professionalization: Integrating the CDA credential into apprenticeship programs contributes to the professionalization of the early childhood education workforce. Employers recognize the CDA as a marker of quality, and it helps meet state and federal requirements for child care staff, such as those outlined in the Head Start Performance Standards. This professionalization also improves retention by offering clear pathways for career advancement.
  • Support for Culturally Responsive Practices: The CDA credential emphasizes the importance of working with families from diverse backgrounds, which is a critical component of culturally responsive education. Apprenticeships that integrate the CDA can ensure early educators are equipped to engage with children and families in inclusive, respectful, and culturally relevant ways, helping to bridge the gap in educational equity.

As the Council’s Director of ECE Competence and Practice, it is my belief that the CDA plays an essential role in fostering high-quality, competency-based apprenticeships that enhance the professionalization of the early childhood workforce. Integrating both programs creates a win-win scenario for CDAs, apprentices, and most of all young children.

Learn more about the CDA® and National Apprenticeship Week.

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