Early Education Apprenticeships

The first of five graduation ceremonies for SEIU Early Educator Apprentices took place this past June in Oakland. These early educator apprentices work in home-based and center-based child care settings and are members of SEIU Locals 1021, 99, and 521, all within California. Twenty graduates have earned BA degrees, eight are receiving AA degrees, and 153 have obtained various levels of California child care credentials to date.

These apprenticeships offer no-cost college tuition and textbooks, on-the-job learning, and pay increases as apprentices meet program benchmarks. More than 300 SEIU early educators have enrolled in these apprenticeships since 2016 funded with grants from state workforce development dollars.

Partners on this exciting project include Los Angeles Trade Tech College, Berkeley City College, Brandman University, BANANAS, Child Care Resource Center, YMCA of the Central Bay Area, Mexican American Opportunities Foundation,  and H-CAP.

As Brenda Mercado, a member of SEIU 521, said at the graduation:

“The reason why this program is so responsive to our needs as providers is that it heard the voices of those of us who do family child care work every day. No one can better identify the needs and hurdles in our profession than those of us who actually do the work each day. Together, we are also capable of finding the best solutions to address barriers to help us continue our education and this program is a prime example of that. That is why through our union, we continue building opportunities for more providers to participate in valuable trainings...When we leave today, we are taking more than a certificate home. We are leaving with invaluable training helpful to our everyday work and we are also taking with us our network of irreplaceable sisters who share our passion and commitment for early care and education.”