Early Childhood Apprenticeship Partnership Chosen for CLAS Little Red School House Award

The Early Childhood Apprenticeship Partnership has been recognized with the prestigious Little Red School House Award at the 2024 CLAS Convention. This pioneering initiative, created through a collaboration between the Pike County and Troy City School Systems and the Alabama Department of Early Childhood Education, marks the inception of Alabama’s first Early Childhood Apprenticeship. The program aims to address workforce needs by providing high school students and adults with comprehensive training and educational pathways in early childhood education.

Participants in the Early Childhood Apprenticeship Partnership can transfer 64 college credits from Enterprise State Community College (ESCC) to Troy University, leading to an Associate of Science (AS) or Associate of Arts (AA) degree in Child Development. High school students involved in the program attend dual enrollment early childhood classes at the Hank Jones Early Childhood Center, earning either an Associate Degree in Child Development or an Auxiliary Teaching Short-Term Certificate. This qualification allows them to work as auxiliary teachers in First-Class Pre-K classrooms statewide.

The apprenticeship model is structured across three progressive levels. ECE 1 apprentices earn a shortterm certificate and complete 30 on-the-job learning (OJL) competencies. They advance to ECE 2, where they pursue an AA or AS in Child Development and additional competencies, and finally, they can achieve ECE 3, which culminates in a Bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Education. Apprentices benefit from pay raises upon the completion of coursework and competencies and receive mentorship from experienced educators, with the Alabama Department of Early Childhood Education (ADECE) covering educational expenses to eliminate financial barriers.