Mid-Year Review: Where We Are
<<< Back to July 2023 Newsletter

Since the Building Bright Futures initiative officially launched six months ago, there has been substantial interest from employers, school districts, community colleges, and other partners to be a part of the early childhood apprenticeship movement that is building in North Carolina. Apprenticeships are seen as offering a great way for employers to build talent, while providing opportunities for participants to earn money as they gain experience and confidence in the field.

Perhaps the most crucial component to ensuring the success and sustainability of apprenticeships in early childhood comes from the braided funding opportunities among our partners. BBF is teaming up with a number of organizations across North Carolina, including the NC Office of the Governor, Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), ApprenticeshipNC, the Department of Public Instruction (DPI), Child Care Services Association (CCSA), and SmartStart – just to name a few – with the mission of eliminating barriers and prohibitive costs to those who want to further their education and careers in early childhood education. 

Deidre McMahon, Assistant Director of the Southwestern Child Development Commission (SWCDC) and a BBF partner, has seen first-hand the benefits of braided funding, stating, “Without strong thought partners who provide great vision and ‘out of the box’ type thinking, we would miss opportunities to be innovative as we collaborate and weave together critical funding sources directly impacting pre-apprenticeship and apprenticeship opportunities. Our partners are essential as their heart and monetary investments extend beyond what I could have ever imagined in support of Early Care and Education Workforce Development.”

Since January 2023, BBF has gathered feedback on the types of support most needed by employers, schools, and students. Transportation, wage assistance, mentoring support, and access to technology are among the biggest barriers to success that our partners, along with BBF funding, can address. As of July 2023, BBF is supporting 26 employers and sponsors and 52 apprentices across 20 counties - and that number grows by the week!

Given the nature of early childhood education, employers and students have diverse needs depending on a number of factors. One of the benefits of this pilot program is that it is designed to be flexible in order to meet each participant’s needs. With continued success and support, a general playbook can be established so that apprenticeships in early childhood education become a more permanent fixture in the NC workforce landscape. 

Building Bright Futures has built great momentum, thanks to our many partners. Let’s work together to keep it going!