Blog
Blog
Durham Early Childhood Educator Apprenticeship Program Receives Statewide Award: 2026 Apprenticeship NC Outstanding Group Program
Early Years and Durham PreK are thrilled to announce that the Durham Early Childhood Educator Apprenticeship Program has been selected to receive the 2026 ApprenticeshipNC Outstanding Group Program Award.
This award is presented annually through a competitive nomination and review process evaluating performance, leadership, innovation, program quality and overall impact. The award recognizes a registered apprenticeship program that expands the impact of apprenticeship by scaling programs to serve multiple employers, making the benefits of apprenticeship more accessible to a broader community of prospective apprentices and employers. The award is given to an outstanding group program across all industries, not just in early childhood education.
The Durham Early Childhood Educator Apprenticeship Program is a group program sponsored by Early Years as an initiative of Durham PreK. With 22 partnering employers in Durham County and 45 current apprentices and pre-apprentices, Early Years offers three levels of apprenticeship programming to support current and aspiring early educators to earn a credential, certificate and/or degree for free while working.
ApprenticeshipNC announced the award on April 30, 2026, highlighting that “The Durham Early Childhood Educator Apprenticeship Program… has built a fast-growing model that is strengthening the early childhood education workforce in Durham County. Since launching in 2023, the program has enrolled 85+ apprentices across three levels of registered apprenticeship programming that support individuals through degree attainment. The program continues to demonstrate strong outcomes, with course completion rates above 85% and five apprentices graduating with associate degrees in May 2026.”
In announcing the award, ApprenticeshipNC further shared, “The program also stands out for its commitment to access and inclusion, with 40% of apprentices identifying as bilingual or multilingual. In collaboration with Durham Tech, Early Years provides coursework and support in both English and Spanish to remove language barriers and expand opportunity. Supported by strong partnerships with employers, educators and community organizations, the program creates clear pathways for career advancement.” As one apprentice shared, “The apprenticeship program has been a great support to me, and if it wasn’t for them fighting for me, making things happen, I probably wouldn’t be graduating this year… Thank you for helping us be the best educators we can be.”
During the award ceremony, an apprentice and the hiring manager from The Little School at Duke shared remarks about their experiences with the program as a participant and partnering employer, respectively. Fatima Ramirez-Arredondo completed the Pre-Apprenticeship in March 2026 and was hired just weeks later as an Early Childhood Apprentice at The Little School at Duke. Fatima shared, “The program has given me the opportunity to go to college. It has given me confidence and new skills. Just two months ago, I started a job at The Little School thanks to the apprenticeship program, and I love my job. Because of this program, I am making a huge difference every day in children’s lives. My goal one day is to be a lead teacher, and maybe one day to be a mentor for people who are in the same situation as me.”
Lynne No, staff recruiter and administrative manager at The Little School, shared her perspective on partnering with the apprenticeship program to both recruit teachers and support teacher development: “To me, it’s a no-brainer… You have this pool of really good candidates who just come to you. Recruiting in early childhood is hard and having this program is just fabulous. We all love Fatima. She has come to us with such professionalism and confidence that we don’t often see with people who are coming right out. I am very grateful for this program because we know that they are getting the learning from our school but then they are also getting the skills and the knowledge in general early education.”
The Durham Early Childhood Educator Apprenticeship Program is an initiative of Durham PreK, managed by Early Years, focused on increasing the capacity for high-quality early care and education in Durham County through intentional workforce development. Through close collaboration with Durham Technical Community College, ApprenticeshipNC and 22 partnering employers, the program is proud to promote access to higher education and higher compensation for early educators in Durham. To learn more about the Durham Early Childhood Educator Apprenticeship Program, visit: durhamprek.org/apprenticeship.
