Program Participation

Apprentice Recruitment

In EEAP’s first and second years (2020-2022), Camp Fire

First Texas recruited apprentices in collaboration with partners, particularly centers participating in the School Readiness Program. EEAP introduced potential apprentices to the opportunity through virtual interest sessions and onsite recruitment with child care center partners. It prioritized admission for teachers who have been in the field at least one year and who work at centers with a Texas Rising Star rating of 3 or 4.

All apprentices agreed to full program participation, with the support of their center director. They agreed to attend program professional development courses, complete associated coursework, meet with an assigned mentor on a regular basis, and maintain employment at their current center (i.e., host site) for a minimum of twelve months after graduation from the program. For this commitment, apprentices would receive up to $2,000 in stipends, assistance with wage increase negotiations, a non-expiring CDA credential, professional development, mentoring support, and assistance with continuing higher education.

Apprentice Progress

EEAP is a two-year program that admits new apprentices every year. At the end of the 2021-2022 school year, the pilot cohort completed its apprenticeship and a second cohort was mid-way through the process. Of the 23 apprentices enrolled in EEAP’s pilot year, a total of 12 (52%) completed all requirements and graduated on time. This completion rate is lower than Camp Fire anticipates for the program going forward. A lower initial completion rate is attributable to the program’s mid-pandemic launch and the learning and refinement that occurs during a pilot program.43 Among the 2021 cohort, 21 of the initially enrolled 29 apprentices (72%) have successfully completed the first year and are on track to graduate within the specified 24 month period, including; 12 apprentices who entered with a CDA and successfully completed the apprenticeship within one year (41%, Table 13).

Within both cohorts, a portion of apprentices left the apprenticeship before completing it and earning an associated credential and financial benefit. Within the pilot cohort, reasons for leaving the program included family or personal health concerns and employment changes that precluded continued participation. Within the 2021-2022 cohort, reasons for leaving the program were more likely to be linked to program noncompletion (Table 14).

43 EEAP’s participation and retention was a significant accomplishment in 2020-2021, given pandemic disruptions to the child care industry, workers’ lives, supply chains limiting delivery of technological tools, and limitations inherent to launching a new program under such circumstances. In order to remain in EEAP, apprentices had to be committed to both the requirements of program participation and continued employment at their host site. Given high rates (25-30% annually) of annual teacher turnover among early childhood programs, combined with elevated worker exits from the field during the pandemic, some attrition was expected. Challenges related to health (e.g., family needs or center COVID response) and employment circumstances (e.g., changing centers or leaving the childcare industry) prevented some apprentices from completing their apprenticeship.