About ECEPTS
Mission
To advance the rigorous professional development and economic well-being of the Early Care and Education workforce so that all children can reap the full benefits of their early learning and care experiences.
Vision
A society that fully respects and supports young children and those who teach and care for them.
Values
Respect | Integrity | Competence | Commitment to Results
Field Building in Action
As part of ECEPTS’ commitment to field building, we participate in statewide and national conferences to share what we’ve learned, encourage others interested in pursuing similar initiatives, and generate broad support for ECE Apprenticeships and innovative workforce development efforts.
Click on the links below to hear ECEPTS Executive Director Randi Wolfe share thoughts about the role of sector intermediaries in the development and ongoing implementation of Youth Apprenticeships.
9:55 – ECEPTS and our role as a sector intermediary
25:20 – Centering apprenticeship work through an equity lens
30:28 – Community colleges as the driver of partnerships
38:09 – Building apprenticeship partnerships & the role of intermediaries
48:09 – The role of sector intermediaries and how to be effective
ECEPTS Apprenticeships:
Benefits & Outcomes
Well-Paid Career Trajectory
ECEPTS Apprenticeships recast entry-level ECE positions from being “dead-end jobs” to being on-ramps and springboards to well-paid careers in ECE and various related fields.
Better Compensation
By assuring increased compensation as milestones are achieved, ECEPTS Apprenticeships address the tension between increased ECE professional requirements and lagging wages.
Increased Workforce Diversity
By creating accessible pathways to positions of greater responsibility and income, ECEPTS Apprenticeships help ensure workforce diversity across every level of the ECE career ladder.
Quality ECE For All Children
ECEPTS Apprentices receive training and preparation necessary to develop strong teacher-child relationships, which are critical in achieving optimal social, emotional, and learning outcomes.
Strengthening Other Fields
ECEPTS Apprentices who later enter other fields (e.g., elementary education, early intervention, healthcare) increase the capacity of those industries because of the foundation in child development and early learning that they bring to their professional roles.
Highly Skilled Workforce
Wherever their careers lead, ECEPTS Apprentices will be better prepared and more successful because of the knowledge, skills, and competencies gained through their apprenticeship experience.
History
Originally developed in partnership with the Early Educator Training Center of the Service Employees International Union, ECEPTS Apprenticeships aim to recast entry level positions in early care and education from being seen as “dead-end jobs” to being on-ramps and springboards to well-paid careers in ECE and a variety of related, respected fields. The various apprenticeship models address existing education and training gaps by offering innovative, multi-level programs designed to support the success of working adults with structured on-the-job learning, coaching and mentoring, coordinated college coursework with academic supports, professional learning communities, and increased compensation not paid for by families.
Through participation in ECEPTS Apprenticeships, low-income ECE workers earn college credit that articulates to state-recognized permits and degrees required for higher-wage positions of greater leadership and responsibility. The state-and federally-registered programs establish a pipeline of qualified workers and a career pathway to self-sufficiency for the nearly 205,000 low-income, mostly female workers who make up the Early Care and Education workforce in California.
Funding Partners
California Apprenticeship Initiative – New and Innovative Grant Program
Emerging Bilingual Collaborative
First 5 Los Angeles
Healthcare Career Advancement Project (H-CAP)
Heising-Simons Foundation
Partnership to Advance Youth Apprenticeship (PAYA)
The James Irvine Foundation
W.M. Keck Foundation
Community College Partners
Antelope Valley College
Berkeley City College
College of the Desert
San Bernardino Valley College
San Joaquin Delta College
Skyline College
Employer Partners
Antelope Valley Partners for Health
Child Care Resource Center
Family Resource & Referral Center
YMCA of the East Bay – Early Childhood Impact
ECEPTS Team
Randi Wolfe, Ph.D.
Executive Director
Rochelle Crawford-Logan
Project Manager
Diana Dominguez
Government Relations
Erin Doyle
Operations
Tara Henriquez
Project Manager
Everly Inong
Communications
Kim Lausin
Systems Management
Elisheva Simon
Research & Evaluation
Barbara Stevenson
Organizational and Fund Development
