This case study takes a close look at Early Care & Education Pathways to Success’ (ECEPTS) role as a national industry intermediary. It details how the organization evolved from a state-based Registered Apprenticeship program sponsor by forging strategic relationships and offering comprehensive program design and implementation support.
In tracing ECEPTS’ journey from sponsoring a handful of ECE apprenticeships in California in 2019 to its current status as a national leader shaping the ECE apprenticeship landscape, a clear set of operating principles emerges.
- Continuous Improvement: ECEPTS’ programs and strategies are piloted, assessed, and refined based on partner feedback, real-world challenges, and data to ensure relevance and effectiveness.
- Building Community and Relationships: Apprenticeship is not just a training model; it’s a community-building endeavor rooted in trusting and respectful relationships. Peer networks and shared learning opportunities are integral to ECEPTS’ organizational approach.
- Experts as Learners: Staff, partners, and apprentices are all contributors and learners in this ecosystem—ECEPTS is not “the” expert.
- Grow Your Own: ECEPTS prioritizes educator and community experience and expertise in its pipeline: half of its staff have a background in early care and education, and all of those working directly with RA partnerships have experience with ECE and/or degree-driven apprenticeships.
- Consistency and Efficiency: Standardized tools and reliance on research-based approaches support implementation and allow ECEPTS to scale its work efficiently without trading fidelity to its mission and values.
- Adaptability to Local Contexts: ECEPTS has continually adapted its approaches to help partners reflect their communities’ distinct cultural, political, policy, and economic contexts.
