New Hampshire's new childcare director apprenticeship is a 'first in the nation'

Sep. 8—A Brentwood childcare center owner and the Community College System of New Hampshire have launched the nation's first federally-approved and funded apprenticeship to train early childhood directors and childcare center owners and operators.

Designed to address the critical shortage of childcare across New Hampshire and the U.S., the Early Childhood Director Apprenticeship pays for courses and program expenses, while trainees work for two years at a participating center. The program serves aspiring teachers, assistant teachers and future owner-operators of childcare facilities who would benefit from mentoring and education in business management in order to be successful.

"As an individual owner, I spent years training myself to run my business," said Jennifer Legere, owner of A Place to Grow in Brentwood and Durham. She developed the apprenticeship with guidance from industry leaders in Kentucky and Massachusetts.

In early childhood, "We're trained as teachers, not as business owners. Now I'm owning companies and hoping to grow other companies. It's the only way we're going to build capacity in the U.S." as well as in this state.

As of March 2024, New Hampshire's working families included more than 53,000 children under age six, yet the state's childcare facilities had capacity for only 31,000, according to ApprenticeshipNH. Data from Child Care Aware of America indicated that 46 percent of Granite Staters live in "childcare deserts," where three children are waiting for every available slot.

The goal of the Early Childhood Director Apprenticeship Program, the only one backed by the U.S. Department of Labor, is to forge a viable and sustainable career path for people to enter and move up in the field, and add childcare centers where they're needed, including in Coos County.

On-site training develops entrepreneurial and small business skills essential to starting a small to medium size childcare center, including one that is family based — covering everything from marketing and advertising to payroll, accounting and recruitment, said Legere.

According to childcare directors interviewed, "Everyone in childcare loves working with children."

But business management is a hurdle, said Christopher Lalmond, hub developer at CCSNH's AppreticeshipNH. "This apprenticeship will set up the next generation of child care directors. We'll see less places closing because of a lack of business knowledge or networking."

Together with the New Hampshire Office of Apprenticeship, "We built a program where failure would not be an option. This program will serve as a model for other states."

The apprenticeship's training and courses support individuals from entry-level jobs starting in high school to top management roles.

Apprentices in the Early Childhood Director program are eligible for up to $2,000 in federal scholarships and up to $1,500 to cover related costs, such as books, testing fees and background checks.

"I love having a career in early childhood education. I've always wanted to work with young children," said Kayte Kostinden of Hooksett, director and regional coordinator of A Place To Grow, and the program's first registered apprentice. In this field "It's important to get hands-on learning experiences, since every day and every child is different."

She said the apprenticeship enables her to expand her business management knowledge and "not go into debt."

"Individuals can come on as paid teachers, and work for two years to learn the business management skills," Legere said.

"It represents something that people can do now," said Lalond. "It allows someone to become a childcare director in a reasonable amount of time. We'll start to see more child care directors and more opportunities to find child care" across New Hampshire.

A Place to Grow's locations are hosting early childhood apprenticeships. Others may be found at ApprenticeshipNH.org.