About a half-dozen childcare providers and community partners gathered at Michigan Works! West Central on Sept. 15, to start the creation of a Child Development Associate registered apprenticeship program through the U.S. Department of Labor.

The group will meet monthly through the remainder of 2023, to develop the in-classroom and on-the-job training requirements of the program, as well as discuss common issues and solutions of working in the childcare industry. The goal of creating the apprenticeship program is to help increase access to reliable and affordable childcare in our region.

Michigan Works! West Central is one of 12 agencies statewide that received funding through the Early Childhood Investment Corporation to develop this type of programs. For more information about the grant, click here.

If you would like more information about the CDA apprenticeship program and to get involved, contact Apprenticeship Specialist Julie Sanders at jsanders@mwwc.org or (231) 287-1956.