KIm Kuehl

When it comes to raising up the next generation of teachers, Kim Kuehl believes that experience and education must go hand in hand. As Workforce Coordinator for Early Connections’ Early Childhood Education Registered Apprenticeship Program in northwest Pennsylvania, she has seen how apprenticeship transforms not just careers but entire communities. Covering 16 counties from Erie down through Armstrong and Butler to Clearfield and McKean, Kim and her team connect licensed childcare centers with staff who become apprentices, gaining classroom experience, credentials, and support every step of the way.

Why Registered Apprenticeship?

Early Connections began exploring apprenticeship around 2018 and 2019. Leadership, including Michelle Harkins, Robin Howell, and Cheryl Feldman, saw how staffing shortages in childcare created barriers to quality learning. They recognized that helping educators gain credentials while working would improve both confidence and retention.

For Kim, apprenticeship is the perfect fit for early childhood education. “What you learn in books is important, but what you learn standing in front of a room of three-year-olds is very different,” she explained. By pairing coursework with on-the-job training, the apprenticeship bridges that gap.

District 1199C Training & Upgrading Fund serves as the program sponsor, while Early Connections functions as the intermediary, working directly with apprentices and employers. Partnerships have been key. PASSHE PDO, PennWest, and other institutions have provided the educational foundation and funding support. Kim credits these collaborations with helping apprentices see that college is within reach and that they are not alone in the process.

Program Growth and Impact

Since officially onboarding apprentices in 2019 and 2020, the program has expanded steadily and continues to demonstrate measurable success. Early Connections has partnered with 39 separate childcare centers, with 21 of those centers returning with additional apprentices, a strong indicator of employer satisfaction and program value.

To date, 46 Level I (CDA) apprentices have completed their apprenticeships, with 11 others currently at different stages of completion and 12 Level I (CDA) candidates on the waitlist. The program has also advanced to support higher education goals, with 11 Level II (AA) apprentices actively progressing through their studies, two on track to graduate this year, and three additional Level II (AA) candidates currently waitlisted. Notably, three of the 11 current Level II apprentices matriculated directly from completed Level I apprenticeships, demonstrating clear upward mobility within the model.

Education Pathways

In addition to the three apprentices who have matriculated into their second-level apprenticeships, several others who completed Level I have continued their educational journeys outside the formal apprenticeship model. Their decisions were driven by credit transfer opportunities between partner and non-partner institutions of higher education. One apprentice completed her associate degree in May and is now beginning her bachelor’s at PennWest University. “I couldn’t be prouder of her,” Kim said. Another is halfway through her associate degree at a local college, proof that the apprenticeship can be a launchpad to higher learning in many forms.

Career Pathways

The majority of apprentices have remained in the early childhood education field, where many have advanced from assistant to lead teachers or from classroom aides to full teaching roles. Others have transitioned to positions in elementary schools or youth services organizations, including Justice Works Youth Services. These upward moves demonstrate that apprenticeship builds not just skills but long-term professional mobility.

Earnings Before and After

The financial benefits are equally meaningful. Over the course of a CDA apprenticeship, roughly 18 months, apprentices see an average wage increase of $2.00 per hour. Those completing an associate degree apprenticeship gain about $4.00 per hour over two to three years. These steady, built-in wage gains make it possible for apprentices, many of whom are supporting families, to see immediate, tangible rewards for their growth and commitment.

Apprentices range in age from 18 to 60, with many balancing families and financial challenges. “Real-world experience has real-world value,” Kim noted. Wage progression is built into the model, ensuring that as apprentices advance their education and skills, they also see financial rewards. This is especially meaningful for those living in poverty or struggling to make ends meet.

One powerful example is apprentice Sierra Peebles, who faced significant learning challenges but persevered through her CDA with Kim’s support. In 2023, Sierra was named the first-ever Apprentice of the Year by Pennsylvania’s Apprenticeship and Training Office, proof that encouragement and persistence can transform lives.

Benefits for Organizations and Communities

For Early Connections, apprenticeship has expanded both mission and reach. What began as a small pilot effort has grown into a full workforce development office, creating new networks with educational institutions, funders, and childcare providers. The program also provides a platform to advocate for early childhood education with state and local leaders.

But the benefits are clearest in the classrooms. Apprenticeship brings stability to childcare centers, where high turnover can disrupt the consistency children need. By requiring 2,000 to 4,000 hours of on-the-job learning, the program ensures that young children experience consistent care during critical developmental years.

Looking Ahead

Early Connections is now pursuing sponsorship status to expand apprenticeship opportunities throughout northwest Pennsylvania and beyond. Kim is determined to continue building on the momentum, even as funding challenges arise. “It’s important and worthwhile, and I’m determined that we’re going to find a way to keep it going,” she said.

Her advice to other organizations is simple: invest in apprenticeship. “Everybody needs support,” Kim emphasized. “This program gives people not just the skills, but the confidence to succeed. And when you strengthen educators, you strengthen entire communities.”

“Apprenticeship changes lives. It gives people the tools, the encouragement, and the belief that they can do this. And when they succeed, our children and communities succeed too.”
— Kim Kuehl