It's a Rap

The start of a new school year is always a moment of possibility. For us, it is also an opportunity to look at how we can build more accessible pathways into child serving  careers and grow a workforce that reflects the needs of communities across New York.

We’re off to a rocking start! Across New York State, 166 individuals -anearly 50% increase from last year– have completed, begun, or continued their apprenticeship journeys this fall. Those who have finished are stepping confidently into careers well prepared for the work ahead.  Those currently enrolled are gaining hands-on experience, deepening their skills and knowledge through related instruction, and taking meaningful steps toward careers serving children from birth to high school graduation.

What’s happening?  

1. ANEW officially launched as a group program sponsor for apprenticeships. With ANEW stepping into the program sponsor space, we can now better support employers across the child serving sector, child care providers, schools, and other education agencies interested in expanding their workforce pipeline pathways to include apprenticeships, without the administrative tasks associated with registering apprenticeships, education agencies can focus on what matters most, building the next generation of educators. We have some very exciting new programs and partners launching this fall which we can’t wait to share so stay tuned!
2. Deepening partnerships with community colleges through our Child Care Assistant, Teacher Assistant Apprenticeships, Early Childhood Educator/Specialist and Childcare Administrator titles. Building on Governor Hochul’s SUNY Reconnect program and the statewide expansion of access to early childhood education, community colleges have a powerful opportunity to create accessible career pathways for adults without bachelor’s degrees into the field of education. 
3. Early Career Exploration and Preparation for High School Students: Across New York State, schools are recognizing that pathways into child-serving careers can begin in high school. Through apprenticeship and work-based learning opportunities, students gain firsthand experience, build practical skills, and enter clear pathways to college, continued apprenticeship, and the associated employment throughout the journey.
4. Connecting and Expanding Service and Apprenticeship through AppleCORE, our AmeriCorps-supported pathway into the service career of education. From welcoming new members to developing partnerships with other service programs, AppleCORE is creating more opportunities for New Yorkers to gain hands-on experience, access meaningful support, and build lasting careers, through service, in education.
5. Data and Impact: This year, we are strengthening how we collect, track, and use data to better understand apprentice outcomes as well as barriers to opportunities. These insights will help us enhance recruitment, identify what’s working– and what’s not– and guide the continued growth and improvement of child-serving apprenticeship programs across New York State.

For too long, the cost and limited accessibility of traditional training pathways into the child serving sectors  have made it difficult for New Yorkers to pursue careers in education. Apprenticeships are helping change that by offering full-time, paid positions that allow individuals to earn while they learn – combining classroom instruction with hands-on experience in the classroom that builds confidence, competence, and long-term commitment to the field.

We are incredibly grateful to the partners making these pathways possible and excited for the school year ahead. Stay tuned as we announce several new apprenticeship program launches across New York State!