In Part 2, Lea Austin discusses CSCCE's recent publication, The ECEPTS Journey, which articulates and analyzes operating principles that have shaped ECEPTS' evolution and influence. She reflects on what those principles suggest for others seeking to build effective, mission-driven organizations. Lea also shares what's next in her own professional journey and why centering "self" matters in that process.

In Part 1 of this two-part conversation, Lea Austin, former Executive Director of the Center for the Study of Child Care Employment at UC-Berkeley, reflects on her 25-year career in ECE. In discussing lessons learned and persistent challenges facing the field, Lea examines how ECE workforce development both shapes — and is shaped by — the public workforce system in the United States.

In this conversation, Randi Wolfe and Harry Leech unpack the promise of apprenticeship, systemic reforms needed to unlock its full potential, the hurdles to aligning apprenticeships with college coursework and degrees, and why building the capacity of intermediaries is essential to expand U.S. apprenticeships to the scale, reach, and impact seen in the U.K. and other nations.

What happens when one of the nation's top apprenticeship leaders sits down with one of ECE's boldest innovators? A lot! In this episode, John Ladd, who led the U.S. Department of Labor Office of Apprenticeship for 17 years, joins ECEPTS Executive Director Randi Wolfe to discuss the national apprenticeship system, recent Executive Orders, and what it takes to build successful apprenticeship pathways for early educators and care providers.

Neighborhood Villages (NV) in Massachusetts is widely recognized as an early adopter and highly successful ECE apprenticeship leader. In this interview, Chief Program Officer, Binal Patel, traces NV's journey from developing their first registered apprenticeship to leading a statewide network of organizations that may differ in structure and focus, but share a commitment to working collaboratively on behalf of building and strengthening the ECE workforce.

Since 2000, Institute for American Apprenticeships (IAA) has delivered education and technical assistance to trade associations, employers and government agencies to expand the reach of apprenticeship as a workforce solution. Listen and learn from Matt McKenney, IAA President and CEO, as he shares his wisdom and experience with ECE apprenticeships, the apprenticeship system, how to get started and where to get help.

Since launching the state's first ECE Apprenticeship in 2019, Camp Fire First Texas has engaged more than 200 incumbent workers in three stackable apprenticeships. In this episode, Program Director Yolanda Willis discusses the evolution of their Registered Apprenticeship programs, highlighting the program design and how it honors the strengths of the ECE workforce and addresses widespread challenges.