Registered Apprenticeship Program Request for Applications (RFA)
Registered Apprenticeship Program Request for Applications (RFA) supports early childhood employers and intermediaries in training apprentices toward credentials to strengthen the early education workforce.
Funder: Connecticut Office of Early Childhood
Due Dates: December 4, 2026, at 5:00 p.m. ET (Applications) | November 27, 2026, at 5:00 p.m. ET (Final questions) | November 9 or November 12, 2026 (Pre-bid conference—confirm with OEC)
Funding Amounts: $11,000 per apprentice, with up to $2,250,000 available overall
Summary: Supports early childhood employers and intermediaries in recruiting, training, and retaining apprentices pursuing ECE credentials.
Key Information: Direct applicants are licensed child care centers, group homes, and intermediary organizations supporting ECE employers and apprentices.
Description
The Connecticut Office of Early Childhood (OEC) funds implementation of registered apprenticeships to strengthen the early care and education workforce. The Connecticut Department of Labor-approved program combines structured, employer-led work-based learning with mentoring, credential pathways, and wage increases. Providers may recruit new educators or support incumbent staff pursuing a Child Development Associate (CDA) credential or an associate degree in early childhood education. The associate-degree apprenticeship is offered as a pilot in this RFA.
Intermediary organizations provide training, technical assistance, and wraparound supports for employers and apprentices in center, group home, and family child care settings. The program aims to improve recruitment, retention, job satisfaction, and early education quality, including by helping providers with fewer resources implement apprenticeships.
