The impact that a skilled and well-compensated early childhood education (ECE) workforce – the workforce behind the workforce – has on all industries is significant. ECE providers make it possible for parenting apprentices and workers across the US to participate in the labor market. Registered Apprenticeship (RA) offers a powerful model to support, uplift, and increase the ECWC workforce. The ECE workforce is both eager and well-suited to participate in RA programs, and they need the support within the child care industry and from other sectors to be successful. However, many ECE centers have little to no capacity to sponsor their own RA programs.
Midwest Urban Strategies, a founding member of the Early Childhood Workforce Connector (ECWC), has championed group sponsorship as an innovative solution to this challenge. One of the most promising models for ECE RA programs is group sponsorship, as exemplified by the Community Action Agency of South Central Michigan, which demonstrates how group sponsorship can effectively expand access to RA programs and strengthen the ECE workforce.
What is an RA group sponsor?
An RA group sponsor is an organization that administers multiple RA programs for early childhood across various early childhood providers. Group sponsors may include community-based organizations, workforce development boards, large childcare providers, community colleges, and others. They need to have the knowledge and capacity to administer programs like this, as well as a network of ECE providers and/or a pipeline for apprentices to gain the RA experience. Like lead organizations for sector strategies, group sponsors' responsibilities include administrative oversight, reporting responsibilities, conducting outreach, and acting as a liaison between the program and outside stakeholders. The group sponsor undertakes this on behalf of multiple employers, thereby alleviating the administrative burden while enabling ECE providers to run a Registered Apprenticeship program.
Some of the benefits of the group sponsorship model for child care providers are that it reduces the administrative burden on individual employers. It allows for pooling resources, leveraging grant funding, and sharing training expenses, making it easier for small and mid-sized child care centers to participate without the full financial and logistical responsibility of running their own RA programs. This also ensures high quality and compliance with DOL standards without each center having to manage the complexities of an ECE RA program on its own. This model supports long-term workforce sustainability by providing stronger partnerships between workforce boards, ECE programs, higher education, and local government agencies. By reducing barriers for child care providers to reap the benefits of RA, group sponsorship strengthens the overall ECE workforce while providing a scalable, structured approach to training and career advancement.
What does this look like on the ground?
The Community Action Agency of South Central Michigan (CAASCM) is an organization dedicated to helping people achieve and maintain independence. In 2023, CAASCM had multiple ECE sites, including Head Start centers, with empty classrooms due to a lack of qualified teachers. With ECWC’s support, CAASCM launched a one-year RA program to help recruit, retain, and train new ECE teachers. To date, the program has achieved an 86% retention rate, equipping 150 individuals with their Child Development Associate (CDA) credential. Graduates of the CAASCM program are certified and prepared to lead classrooms, meeting Michigan’s licensing requirements for lead teachers. This directly expanded CAASCM’s capacity to increase access to quality child care and open more classrooms across multiple sites. The program delivers proven benefits for ECE professionals and employers, while helping local working parents access high-quality care and education for their children.
How can you help?
CAASCM illustrates the impact ECE RA group sponsorship can have on a community and its workforce. Through strong partnerships and sustained investment, this model is building meaningful, flexible ECE career pathways for providers and increasing access to quality care and education for our nation’s youngest learners. Consider learning more about your local workforce behind the workforce and becoming an ECE RA group sponsor or supporting group sponsors in your community.
