Apprenticeships: Building a Strong Child Care Workforce Pipeline

The pandemic highlighted a cold, hard truth: a thriving economy needs a functioning, well-staffed child care system. One in three children with all parents in the labor force lacks access to child care in their community.

As the labor market tightens, many child care businesses are struggling to recruit and retain staff, in part because of the low wages that child care educators typically earn. Our nation’s broader economic success depends on our ability to recruit and retain a competent child care workforce. By supporting investments in education and workforce development, we can increase the supply of programs and reduce our nation’s child care gap.

Registered apprenticeships, often a tool used to recruit workers to high-demand occupations, are a compelling option for states to support their child care and early learning workforce.

The Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), passed with bipartisan support more than a decade ago, formalizes the use of registered apprenticeships to improve education workforce transitions and gives employees continuous education opportunities and improves on-the-job skills.

BPC’s early childhood team drafted recommendations for the federal government, states, and communities to promote and develop WIOA-supported career pathways and registered apprenticeship programs. Download our report to learn more.