In this conversation, Randi Wolfe and Harry Leech unpack the promise of apprenticeship, systemic reforms needed to unlock its full potential, the hurdles to aligning apprenticeships with college coursework and degrees, and why building the capacity of intermediaries is essential to expand U.S. apprenticeships to the scale, reach, and impact seen in the U.K. and other nations.

What happens when one of the nation's top apprenticeship leaders sits down with one of ECE's boldest innovators? A lot! In this episode, John Ladd, who led the U.S. Department of Labor Office of Apprenticeship for 17 years, joins ECEPTS Executive Director Randi Wolfe to discuss the national apprenticeship system, recent Executive Orders, and what it takes to build successful apprenticeship pathways for early educators and care providers.

Neighborhood Villages (NV) in Massachusetts is widely recognized as an early adopter and highly successful ECE apprenticeship leader. In this interview, Chief Program Officer, Binal Patel, traces NV's journey from developing their first registered apprenticeship to leading a statewide network of organizations that may differ in structure and focus, but share a commitment to working collaboratively on behalf of building and strengthening the ECE workforce.

Since 2000, Institute for American Apprenticeships (IAA) has delivered education and technical assistance to trade associations, employers and government agencies to expand the reach of apprenticeship as a workforce solution. Listen and learn from Matt McKenney, IAA President and CEO, as he shares his wisdom and experience with ECE apprenticeships, the apprenticeship system, how to get started and where to get help.

Since launching the state's first ECE Apprenticeship in 2019, Camp Fire First Texas has engaged more than 200 incumbent workers in three stackable apprenticeships. In this episode, Program Director Yolanda Willis discusses the evolution of their Registered Apprenticeship programs, highlighting the program design and how it honors the strengths of the ECE workforce and addresses widespread challenges.

In 2019, a planning grant from the James Irvine Foundation led to the launch of ECEPTS, reflecting the Foundation's commitment to ensuring that low-income workers have the power to advance economically. Learn from Sabrina Singh Kansara, Senior Program Officer, as she discusses the critical significance of the ECE industry and the role of philanthropy in supporting and advocating for ECE Apprenticeships.

In 2022, T.E.A.C.H. Early Childhood® National Center launched a 6-state apprenticeship pilot program. In this episode, Megan Burk, Director of Workforce Initiatives, explains why T.E.A.C.H. decided to develop ECE apprenticeships, provides an update on the initiative, and shares invaluable experience and insights about the promise of ECE apprenticeships and the role of intermediaries.

CSCCE is widely recognized as a national leader in ECE workforce research and policy. Listen in as Executive Director Lea Austin discusses the policy landscape around funding for the ECE system, the unique potential of the apprenticeship model, her hopes for the National ECE Workforce Center, and more. This is a rich and informative conversation that you don't want to miss!

Whether you're new to the world of ECE Apprenticeship or a seasoned veteran, this conversation with Charlie Milling from ApprenticeshipNC will be useful in learning about one state's efforts to create ECE Apprenticeships, develop ECE career pathways from high school through community college, and encourage employers' capacity as ECE Apprenticeship sponsors.