Press Release  Healey-Driscoll Administration Investing $3 Million to Support Early Education Workforce Pipeline and Apprenticeships

Boston — The Healey-Driscoll Administration announced today that the Department of Early Education and Care (EEC) has opened a request for responses (RFR) to support existing early childhood apprenticeship programs and fund additional regional intermediaries for center-based and family child care programs. Intermediaries will support workforce development pathways, including apprenticeship programs, in recruiting apprentices and connecting them to employers, as well as assisting in the administrative tasks of managing pathways and requirements for registering programs. Further, intermediaries can provide participating child care program employers with funding to cover mentor stipends and wages for apprentices. The administration is investing $10 million in federal funds through the end of 2026 for this, with $3 million available in this RFR.

“Strengthening and expanding apprenticeships is an important part of our efforts to support and grow the early education and care workforce, increasing opportunities for hands-on training and hard skill development,” said Governor Maura Healey. “Child care plays an essential role in driving the state’s economy and competitiveness forward, which is why our administration has placed a high priority on expanding access to affordable, high-quality child care. I am thrilled to see these partnerships at work, boosting the pipeline of high-quality early education professionals.”

“Our administration is fully committed to supporting and expanding the early education workforce. When programs have a consistent and highly skilled workforce, they can offer better care to even more families. Improving opportunities for the early education and care workforce is directly related to our goal of improving access to affordable, quality child care for Massachusetts’ youngest children and their families,” said Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll.

Governor Healey’s Executive Order 625 established an Early Education and Child Care Task Force that is chaired by the Secretaries of Education, Labor and Workforce Development, and Economic Development. One area of focus for the task force is identifying strategies to recruit, train, upskill, and retain members of the child care workforce, including by expanding apprenticeship initiatives, higher education programs, and training opportunities. These efforts build on the Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development’s recent announcement that included funding six center-based early education registered apprenticeship programs.

“Education doesn’t start at kindergarten – it starts at birth. Child care educators are critical to ensuring our youngest learners receive the highest quality education they deserve, setting them up for school and lifetime success. These new opportunities will support job seekers passionate about early childhood education to gain the skills and experience they need to join the field and meet their economic mobility goals. By investing in our educators and children, the Healey-Driscoll Administration is investing in the future of the Commonwealth,” said Secretary of Education Dr. Patrick Tutwiler. 

“Building a pipeline of skilled educators is a key component of the Healey-Driscoll Administration’s ‘whole-of-government’ strategy to strengthen the state’s early childhood education system,” said Secretary of Labor and Workforce Development Lauren Jones. “Expanding and scaling effective registered apprenticeship programs will be key to investing in the talent we need and developing the infrastructure that is so critical for workers, jobseekers, and employers in every region of Massachusetts.”

Throughout 2023 and 2024, EEC conducted a series of listening sessions with registered apprenticeship programs, professional development entities and child care programs to identify opportunities for the state to bolster these types of supported pathways. This RFR aims to support and expand upon these types of programs in alignment with the feedback the agency has received and work of the Task Force. This includes a particular focus on expanding opportunities to support family child care workforce development pathways.

“Apprenticeship models are a key part of strengthening the early education and care profession – supporting people to earn while they learn. We have been working with the Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development and early childhood leaders across the state to promote and expand apprenticeship opportunities as a key strategy to build the pipeline of new staff joining the field,” said Early Education and Care Commissioner Amy Kershaw. “Today’s announced RFR will help move forward our joint efforts to recruit and retain qualified educators, while also promoting their economic mobility, leading to improved access to high-quality child care for Massachusetts’ youngest children and their families.” 

“Apprenticeship offers a proven model to develop and diversify talent pipelines to meet the needs of our child care workforce,” said Josh Cutler, Undersecretary for Apprenticeship, Work-Based Learning, and Policy. “Through our Division of Apprentice Standards, we are pleased to partner with the Department of Early Education and Care to support this expansion of registered apprenticeship programs in early childhood education.”

Apprenticeship programs are an effective workforce development model that provide mentor-supported on-the-job training, relevant technical instruction, paid work experience, and an industry recognized credential upon completion. These programs are a key strategy for both improving the quality of early-career educators and expanding the pipeline of educators and mentors. 

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