The Nevada Child Care Apprenticeship Program is designed to improve the quality of childcare in Nevada through education and on-the-job training. |
|
| |
|
|
|
|
| |
| History of the Nevada Child Care Apprenticeship Program |
|
In May 2000, The Nevada Child Care Apprenticeship program was initially funded through a grant from the Department of Labor. Along with 10 other states, Nevada received $350,000.00 in funding from the Department of Labor for an 18-month period to develop an apprenticeship program in childcare. The Washoe County School District is the fiscal agent of the grant providing administrative functions such as budgeting, purchasing, personnel and contractual agreements. After the Department of Labor funding was over the State of Nevada has continued to fund the program with quality dollars through the Federal Child Care and Development Block Grant.
The Apprenticeship Program is a statewide program with offices located in Reno, Elko and Las Vegas. The program currently serves over 500 participants, which include apprentices, mentors and centers statewide. Almost all of the graduates from the program have become mentors.
The Apprenticeship Program is a collaborative partnership within the community. Some of the collaborators include The Children’s Cabinet and Economic Opportunity Board, which provide financial scholarships to participants, and the community college system throughout the state, which provides college courses in Early Childhood Education. The State Apprenticeship Council and Department of Labor, also serve as consultants and assist in registering early childhood programs within the apprenticeship system. |
| |
| Goals of the Nevada Child Care Apprenticeship Program |
| |
To increase the quality of care and level of professionalism in the early care and education field in Nevada. To provide access to education and support with on-the-job training for all early childhood providers. |
| |
| Who is eligible to participate? |
|
Any individual who works at an early childhood site, and is willing to take classes for early childhood education. If you don’t have a High School Diploma or GED you have one year to obtain it while participating in our program. Note: The child care site that individuals are employed at does have to make a commitment to participate in the program in order for it to be a registered apprenticeship site. |
| |
| Types of Program Currently Participating |
| |
The Apprenticeship Program works with diverse types of early childhood programs including private and non-profit centers, childcare centers, family childcare homes, preschool and after school care, Head Start and Early Head Start, college and university programs, Washoe County School District’s Early Childhood Programs, Faith Based Child Care Programs, Federal Naval Base Child Care Facilities as well as accommodations facilities for children in transition. |
| |
| Child Care Development Specialist Certificate (CCDS) |
| |
The CCDS certificate is what all apprentices receive when they complete the Apprenticeship Program. It is a nationally recognized certificate, which is issued in 35 other states. In Nevada when an apprentice completes the requirements of 4000 hours of on the job training and 315 hours of related instruction they will receive this certificate from the State of Nevada, Department of Labor and from the Nevada Child Care Apprenticeship Program. Graduates will also place on the level of 3.1 within The Nevada Early Care and Education Professional Career Ladder. This certificate will allow graduates to become directors of early childhood programs. Most of the 315 hours of related instruction will also transfer into an Associate’s Degree in Early Childhood Education. At this time the Apprenticeship Program will provide scholarships for active participates to complete their Bachelor’s Degree in Early Childhood at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas or the University of Nevada, Reno. |
