卡pp电子极速糖果的科技 leverages Colorado Department of Early Childhood grant to address childcare shortages
One of the first pieces of advice many parents-to-be are given these days is to get on waiting lists for childcare as soon as possible. The childcare landscape in Colorado is fraught with greater demand than many communities can meet and the launch of 科罗拉多环球学前班 在2023-2024学年期间，可能会加剧现有的人员短缺.
卡pp电子极速糖果的科技 早期教育学徒专家明迪·古铁雷斯解释道, “A lot of childcare facilities couldn’t open up all of their classrooms this year because they didn’t have qualified staff.”
许多家庭都在努力寻找高质量的护理, 卡pp电子极速糖果的科技 is committed to building an oasis in the childcare desert by offering an innovative 幼儿教育学徒计划 to increase the number of qualified staff in the local community which will help families, 支持当地企业，创造高薪工作机会.
这个学徒项目的资金来自州政府的两年拨款 幼儿教育处 (CDEC). It is only one of three pilot programs of its kind in the state and Colorado is only one of six states in the country that are offering this early childhood apprenticeship opportunity.
CMU技术已经提供了day, night and online programs for individuals pursuing early childhood certificates and degrees, but the apprenticeship option allows learners to earn college credit while getting a paycheck at a local childcare facility and students can also earn college credit for eligible past work experience. The apprenticeship program is open to students of all ages from high school juniors and seniors that are pursuing concurrent enrollment to adults looking to enter the field or earn advanced early childhood education credentials.
To receive their Child Development Associate (CDA) National Apprenticeship Certificate from the United States Department of Labor through this apprenticeship, 学生必须完成2,000 hours of on-the-job training as well as 190 hours of related technical instruction through state training and early childhood education courses at 卡pp电子极速糖果的科技. 学徒制是以能力为基础的, 因此，学生可以根据需要快速或缓慢地完成他们的课时. 作为额外的激励, the CDEC grant also provides monetary bonuses as students reach benchmarks in the program, and students also receive grant-funded pay raises as they progress through their apprenticeship.
Local childcare businesses also benefit from the program by filling open jobs with apprentices now as well as hiring and retaining students once they complete the program. They also benefit by receiving wage reimbursement to decrease their payroll while apprentices complete their hours. 到目前为止, 18个劳动力合作伙伴接待了学徒，包括私人, 公共及家庭托儿院.
“Participating employers can get a fifty-percent wage reimbursement for apprentices in the program through the grant and a lot of employers also opted to partner with other local organizations that covered the other fifty-percent wage reimbursement. So, 有一段时间了, 他们不给学徒发工资,古铁雷斯解释道.
除了经济利益的学徒, the 卡pp电子极速糖果的科技 early childhood education faculty is committed to building strong relationships with students and ensuring that each student feels a strong sense of belonging and feels supported throughout the program. Each apprentice is partnered with an active and supportive mentor teacher who is there to help answer questions and provide feedback while on the job.
Technical Instructor of Early Childhood Education and Primary Investigator for the CDEC grant Vail Shoultz-McCole explained, “Our program cares about our apprentices and building relationships so that we can best support them. We work to find additional supports they may need for their career success beyond finding a paid apprenticeship facility placement. This program acts as an entry point where students can continue to earn higher degrees which leads to greater opportunities for career advancement and income.”
古铁雷斯附和道, “我们一直在挨家挨户敲门，告诉他们, ‘What has stopped you before from getting your certificate or getting your credential? 我们能为您做些什么? 你面临的障碍是什么?“我们一定要让未来的学生知道我们可以提供全方位的服务, 英语学习者支持, 帮助支付学费和奖学金，并提供指导.”
有许多托儿所需要双语员工, and with the ability to add a bilingual certification to their national credentials through the apprenticeship program, CMU科技公司努力使社区中的每个人都能访问该程序, 包括英语学习者和第一代大学生. Students in the apprenticeship program receive technology instruction to successfully navigate online learning components, some courses are now available in both Spanish and English and study sessions are provided to prepare students for the bilingual certification exam.
在总, 自该项目成立以来，已有26名学生参加了该项目, and the first five completers were recognized on June 27 at a celebration held at 卡pp电子极速糖果的科技’s Chez Lena restaurant. 其中两名学员还获得了双语证书. There are 21 students still in the program working towards their national certificate and retention has been impeccable to date.
该项目的资金已确保到2024年，目前正在接受学生. Shoultz-McCole is optimistic that funding may be extended far into the future given the program’s success but encourages individuals to enroll as soon as possible to take advantage of all the benefits available through the grant.
If you or someone you know is interested in enrolling in the early childhood education apprenticeship program, 请拨打970联系明迪·古铁雷斯.255.2726或经 电子邮件.
该项目还在寻找更多的劳动力合作伙伴. Both public and private childcare providers in need of capable staff should reach out to 明迪古铁雷斯 to learn more about the benefits of program participation. Mesa的供应商, 蒙特罗斯, δ, 圣米格尔县和加菲尔德县目前有资格参加.