Northern Los Angeles County, CA – Friday, July 26th 2018, Child Care Resource Center (CCRC) celebrated 60 child care providers from the San Fernando and Antelope Valleys, matriculating from the Family Child Care On-the-Job Training Program partnership they share with the Service Employees International Union’s Early Educator Training Center (SETC).
This program, which is registered with the California Division of Apprenticeship Standards, is a unique model of workforce development through which licensed family child care providers can earn CA Child Development Permits, receive on-the-job coaching support, and receive financial compensation as training milestones are achieved. The program offers subsidized college courses through Los Angeles Trade Technical College, that are scheduled around the participants’ work hours and held at convenient community-based settings. Significantly, the program incorporates a cohort model to encourage the development of a community of learners among participants, many of whom are non-traditional and first time college students.
“Once I get [my Bachelor’s Degree] I want to open my own center and help more kids and families gain access to a better quality of care. We need this. Maybe [families] don’t have the resources or the information, to know that quality is out there. Since CCRC has given me the opportunity to get better, I want to use it.” Natalie Araujo, Licensed Child Care Provider.
Students like Natalie, who has attained her Teacher Permit and the majority of her associate’s degree coursework through the SEIU partnership, is joined by 59 other participants with similar hopes and dreams. During the course of the program, all 60 participants receive monthly on-site coaching, follow-up meetings to support their course work, and continued training to fulfill the on-the-job training hours required by California’s Division of Apprenticeship Standards.
“Because we have seen the success and need of this program in just two short years, it is our goal to model this program across the country.” Ellen Cervantes, Chief Operating Officer, Child Care Resource Center.
This program has reported tremendous success with current funding scheduled to end in June of 2019. Thanks to the achievements and dedication of these students, conversations are happening with state and federal legislators to extend funding of this pilot and implement similar programs elsewhere. For more information about the FCC On-the-Job Training Program, please contact a Resource & Referral staff member at 818-717-1000.
