Celebrating National Apprenticeship Week with Early Childhood Workforce Focus
Posted on April 28, 2026Johnstown, PA (April 28, 2026) – The Learning Lamp joins partners across the country to celebrate National Apprenticeship Week (NAW), April 26 through May 2, 2026. The nationwide event highlights the value of Registered Apprenticeship in building a skilled workforce and strengthening the economy.
Coordinated by the U.S. Department of Labor, National Apprenticeship Week brings together employers, educators, and workforce partners. This year’s theme is “America at Work: Making America Skilled Again through Registered Apprenticeship.”
The Learning Lamp is proud to advance this work as a Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry–approved sponsor of Early Childhood Registered Apprenticeship and Pre-Apprenticeship programs. In 2025, as the hub of the Early Childhood Alleghenies Shared Services Alliance, The Learning Lamp supported 104 child care professionals in earning free college credits through a combination of coursework and hands-on experience. Representing 21 employers across nine counties, these dedicated learners earned a total of 995 college credits toward Child Development Associate (CDA) credentials, associate and bachelor’s degrees, and director credentials through both registered and non-registered higher education pathways.
In addition, 53 high school students from 11 high schools and career and technical centers in six counties participated in companion pre-apprenticeship and dual enrollment programs. Together, they earned 156 free college credits while building a strong foundation for careers in early childhood education, gaining valuable experience, a pathway into the workforce, and opportunities to continue their education through apprenticeship programs after graduation.
In 2024, Willow Cove Early Learning Center & Preschool agreed to host an Early Childhood Registered Pre-Apprentice at its center. Placed by The Learning Lamp as part of its grant-funded Schools-to-Work (STW) initiative, Angel Carilli was a student at the Central Westmoreland Career & Technical Center and serves as a prime example of the tremendous value of Apprenticeship in all industry sectors.
“As a pre-apprentice, Angel gained the hands-on observation hours required to earn a CDA, and Willow Cove was able to ‘try out’ a potential worker with no strings attached,” said Anna Zettle, STW Project Manager. “Two years later, Angel is the lead teacher in Willow Cove’s infant room and is preparing to start classes toward an associate’s degree.”
To learn more about Registered Apprenticeship, Pre-Apprenticeship and non-registered free higher ed pathways for early childhood workers and high school students interested in a rewarding career, visit ecalleghenies.org.
The Learning Lamp is a nonprofit organization with a mission to engage all children in the support they need to succeed. We deliver high-quality programs that are affordable and accessible to families of all income levels. In 2025, The Learning Lamp and our school-based division, Ignite Education Solutions, directly served 44,856 children and adults. In addition to 48 programs of our own, we worked with 100 public and private schools in 24 Pennsylvania counties and supported 487 child care and community-based organizations with free or nearly free shared resources, positively impacting another 64,657 children in 58 of Pennsylvania’s 67 counties.
Our programs include: child care and preschool, tutoring, school staffing, educational programs for at-risk students, online learning, credit recovery, school-based substance use prevention, project consulting for schools, and early childhood systems building.