In DuPage County, many are turning to apprenticeships to solve staffing shortages. When the Early Childhood Access Consortium for Equity (ECACE) Scholarship Program was announced, Jean Zaar, director of Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) at the College of DuPage (COD), knew the time was ripe for her field to enter the apprenticeship game. “This program is something I always wanted to do. We began discussing how we could participate in apprenticeship pre-COVID. The ECACE scholarship program was a blessing that gave us the means to implement the program we had been wanting to develop for a few years.”

With funding from the ECACE Scholarship Program, employers who might otherwise not be able to support apprentices could support their incumbent workers in growing their skill set by providing on-the-job training opportunities. The ECACE scholarship program is available to current and past employees of childcare facilities in Illinois to help them seek further education and credentials to address the shortage of qualified early childhood educators. Members of the ECEC and Project Hire-Ed apprenticeship office at the College of DuPage began meeting in the winter of 2023 to develop a U.S. Department of Labor Registered Apprenticeship Program that would be student-centered and advantageous to area employers.

Last fall, the first cohort of apprentices began their coursework and on-the-job training. Ten employees from Educare in West Chicago were welcomed, introduced to the support the College of DuPage provides apprentices, and presented with laptops to help them start their journey strong. According to one apprentice in the program, the support provided by the College of DuPage staff helped her find her groove in the program. “When I started the apprenticeship program, I had many doubts and fears (I didn’t know if my English was good enough to study here), but the entire COD team has accompanied me along this path, filling me with words of encouragement.” Now in its second semester, the College of DuPage is excited to announce a 100% success and retention rate achieved through the intentional design of the program.

A cohort model was used to help develop connections and support for the participants. The program also includes on-site mentors who received training to support these apprentices, regular site visits with the apprentices to provide individualized support, and assistance with registration and campus needs. Most significantly, Zaar considered the apprentices' current knowledge, experience, and work schedules when designing the related technical instruction. The program improves accessibility for degree completion by creating a pathway for upskilling the incumbent workforce, acknowledging current and past experience in the childcare field, and recognizing the need for convenience for those trying to balance work, life, and school. The ECEC team developed prior learning assessments and moved courses online to support the schedules of incumbent workers, who previously may not have been available to attend in-person classes.

Zaar is proud of what they were able to accomplish this past semester. “I wanted the apprentices to feel like they were part of COD, even though they weren’t taking classes here on campus. Being present was important so that they knew that we were there. They never felt like they were just left to do anything alone. We helped the apprentices build their confidence, and they all felt like, ‘I can do this.’ And to make someone have those feelings about themselves makes me happy.”

One apprentice sums up how this program has impacted her career, “This apprenticeship program has brought back my spark. It has helped me prove that pursuing a career is never too late. I have become more confident in my work abilities and improved during my teaching.”

In addition to changing the lives of the ten apprentices in the cohort, it produced positive outcomes for the employer and the community.  According to the employer, this program has impacted the community and the families at their school. “It has helped to improve the quality of education provided to children. Staff are better equipped to meet the needs of individual children and families and are more likely to stay up-to-date on the latest research and best practices in early childhood education. This has led to better outcomes for children, families, and the community.”