{"id":210125,"date":"2025-02-03T15:57:19","date_gmt":"2025-02-04T01:57:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/?p=210125"},"modified":"2025-02-03T15:57:19","modified_gmt":"2025-02-04T01:57:19","slug":"hawaii-early-childhood-educator-excellence","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/2025\/02\/03\/hawaii-early-childhood-educator-excellence\/","title":{"rendered":"UH<\/abbr> M\u0101noa, Honolulu CC<\/abbr> partnership boosts early childhood education workforce"},"content":{"rendered":"Reading time: <\/span> 2<\/span> minutes<\/span><\/span>

\"person<\/p>\n

The Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span> Early Childhood Educator Excellence and Equity (ECE3<\/sup>) Project<\/a>, housed in the University of Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span> at M\u0101noa College of Education<\/a>, aims to dismantle structural barriers and gaps to early childhood education workforce preparation and inadequate salary compensation that have existed for decades. One of the ways is through innovative cross-campus workforce development strategies for students.<\/p>\n

\"person<\/p>\n

UH<\/abbr> M\u0101noa\u2019s College of Education has been working with Honolulu Community College<\/a>\u2019s ECED<\/abbr> program and Keiki O Ka ʻ\u0100ina<\/span> Family Learning Centers (KOKA<\/abbr>) to launch the state\u2019s first early childhood education registered apprenticeship program through KOKA<\/abbr>.<\/p>\n

This “earn while you learn” program offers apprentices full-time work while they are enrolled in a three-year program to earn an associate\u2019s degree in ECED<\/abbr>. With the completion of each milestone, the apprentices receive a wage increase.<\/p>\n

Paid apprenticeship<\/h2>\n

One of KOKA<\/abbr>\u2019s first apprentices is Chenelle Christian, who is employed as an aide at KOKA<\/abbr>\u2019s Ka Pua Preschool, located in M\u0101ʻili<\/span>, Oʻahu<\/span>. She has a goal of becoming a preschool lead teacher or opening her own day care program.<\/p>\n

With strong support from her husband and their four boys, ages 14, 11, 10 and 5, Christian enrolled in her first semester at Honolulu CC<\/abbr> during the 2023–24 academic year.<\/p>\n

“To be in a job, while going to school, has made a huge difference. This [apprenticeship program] fits the type of learner that I am,” Christian said. “I love that I get to apply what I learn from my mentor and my college instructors while interacting with preschool children.”<\/p>\n

Christian also credits her “very encouraging” instructors at Honolulu CC<\/abbr>. She is on target to complete her first of three milestones, a Child Development Associate, a nationally recognized credential, in May 2025.<\/p>\n

Learn more about the Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span> Early Childhood Educator Excellence and Equity Project<\/a>.<\/p>\n

This program exemplifies UH<\/abbr>\u2019s strategic imperative to prepare students for the jobs of today and tomorrow, part of the UH<\/abbr> System\u2019s strategic plan\u2019s focus on workforce development<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

This “earn while you learn” program offers apprentices full-time work while they are enrolled in a three-year program to earn an associate\u2019s degree in ECED<\/abbr>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":16,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[25],"tags":[95,908,204,62,1466,71,9,603],"class_list":["post-210125","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-academic-news","tag-college-of-education","tag-early-childhood-education","tag-education","tag-honolulu-community-college","tag-manoa-enhancing-student-success","tag-uh-community-colleges","tag-uh-manoa","tag-workforce-development","entry","has-media"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t