One of the top barriers employers of all industries face in recruiting and retaining qualified candidates is access to child care. As I’ve mentioned in this space before, the workforce behind the workforce is in crisis: there are not enough skilled individuals to staff early childhood programs with enough spaces to support all children and families who need services so they can work. The early childhood education (ECE) workforce has adopted and adapted Registered Apprenticeship (RA) as one solution for this crisis.
Developing talent and upskilling the ECE workforce through RA requires alignment across systems, including ECE licensure, RA, workforce development, and higher education. One of the most challenging alignments is between the ECE and public workforce systems.
ECE providers have found it difficult to engage their local workforce development boards and secure WIOA funding due to chronically low wages in the ECE industry. Midwest Urban Strategies (MUS), as a founding partner of the Early Childhood Workforce Connector (ECWC), has worked with several ECE RA sponsors to apply to be eligible training providers in that system.
The Illinois Early Childhood Apprenticeship Program, sponsored by the University of Illinois Chicago (UIC), exemplifies how cross-sector partnerships and braided funding can drive program sustainability. Through MUS, ECWC facilitated a key connection between the UIC program and the Chicago Cook Workforce Partnership (The Partnership). One of the first things UIC and The Partnership did was ensure that UIC was included on their Eligible Training Provider List (ETPL).
This partnership is a reciprocal relationship that connects job seekers with ECE employers while securing apprentices for the program. It provides essential support services to eligible participants, ensuring they have the resources needed to succeed. In fact, in July 2024, UIC and The Partnership collaborated to host three career fairs. Moreover, they have been exploring ways to use the workforce board's funds to support both employers and apprentices. The relationship has grown as UIC and The Partnership explore funding for on-the-job training, incumbent-worker training (for apprentice mentors), traditional Individual Training Accounts through the ETPL, and support services.
This collaboration demonstrates what becomes possible when early childhood and public workforce systems recognize their interdependence. Child care is necessary infrastructure for a strong economy, and investing in the ECE workforce strengthens labor force participation across every industry. The Chicago example shows how intentional alignment, braided funding, and shared accountability can create a more resilient system that supports employers, educators, and working families alike.
