Projects
Massachusetts Early Childhood Education Apprenticeship Study
2025
Project Overview
Objective
To promote a better understanding of early childhood education (ECE) Registered Apprenticeship programs (RAPs) in Massachusetts. The study will identify and share actionable lessons learned from five pilot ECE RAPs to inform decision making for ECE workforce programs.
Project Motivation
The ECE sector faces persistent recruitment and retention challenges, largely due to low wages and lack of professional growth opportunities. Registered Apprenticeship programs show promise for helping to address these persistent workforce challenges because they can be a pipeline that recruits and prepares ECE educators. This study will generate actionable insights to inform future workforce efforts in Massachusetts.
Partners in Progress
School Readiness Consulting, Boston University’s Wheelock College of Education and Human Development
Prepared For
Massachusetts Department of Early Education and Care
The Massachusetts ECE Apprenticeship Study will evaluate the early implementation and initial outcomes of five ECE RAPs in the state. It will provide new information about promising practices related to ECE RAPs.
Registered Apprenticeship programs focused on industries such as ECE show promise in addressing persistent workforce challenges because they act as a pipeline for recruiting and preparing ECE educators. RAPs provide a structured pathway to attract, train, and retain ECE educators by combining paid, on-the-job learning with related classroom instruction.
This study, launched by the Massachusetts Department of Early Education and Care (EEC) with support from the Division of Apprenticeship Standards (DAS), will evaluate the early implementation and initial outcomes of ECE RAPs in Massachusetts. It will examine how these programs are designed, launched, and experienced by program leaders, employers, apprentices, mentors, and family child care (FCC) intermediaries (organizations supporting FCCs). It will provide new information about promising practices and innovations related to ECE RAPs.
Using a mixed methods research design, the study team will:
- Collaborate with EEC, DAS, and RAP administrators to design study activities that emphasize local learning priorities
- Collect data using a community-informed approach that elevates the experiences and perspectives of RAP administrators, program directors, intermediaries, apprentices, and mentors.
- Summarize lessons to share, focusing on actionable recommendations to inform further development, implementation, and scaling of high-quality ECE RAPs.
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