February 2024 Newsletter
SAVE THE DATE!
The Building Bright Futures Apprenticeship Summit 2024: A Statewide Event Supporting Career Pathways for the Early Childhood Workforce
April 15, 2024
9:30am - 2pm
Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College Conference Center
Asheville, NC
*Open to participants of the Building Bright Futures initiative.
Click to go to the Event page
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2023: A Year-End Review of Building Bright Futures
With 2023 in the rearview mirror, we reflect on the first year of the Building Bright Futures initiative. It has been quite a journey! In just one year, our pilot initiative has grown to support 136 organizations in 42 counties, and close to 200 pre-apprentices and apprentices, with those numbers growing each week. Let’s take a look back on 2023.
READ MORE
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Spotlight: Staci Shaw, CTE Early Childhood Teacher at McDowell High School in Marion, NC
To celebrate National CTE Month, we spotlight Staci Shaw, CTE Early Childhood Teacher at McDowell High School in Marion, NC. Staci talks to us about the importance of early childhood CTE courses and what that educational and career pathway looks like for McDowell pre-apprentices.
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Interested in being featured in a BBF Spotlight?
If you would like to nominate a person or program to be featured in an upcoming spotlight, please contact megan.johnson@nc.gov.
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Webinar Series for High School Students Interested in Early Childhood Education
We continue our special evening webinar series tailored for registered pre-apprentices and high school students interested in careers in early childhood education. Those who are new to the field are also welcome to attend.
Visit our Events page to learn more. To register, contact Megan Johnson, Program Manager, at megan.johnson@nc.gov.
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T.E.A.C.H. Apprenticeship Scholarship
Did you know there is a T.E.A.C.H. scholarship program exclusively for apprentices? If you are already utilizing a T.E.A.C.H. scholarship and are a new apprentice pursuing an Associate's Degree, the Early Childhood Educator Apprenticeship Scholarship may be a better fit! To learn more, contact Amy Duffy, Senior Program Manager of the T.E.A.C.H. Early Childhood® North Carolina Scholarship Program at amyd@childcareservices.org.