By Journal Staff

LANSING — Gov. Gretchen Whitmer recently announced 12 recipients of Early Care and Education Registered Apprenticeships from the Early Childhood Investment Corporation’s Child Care Innovation Fund.

All 12 recipients will help finance, provide educational support and increase compensation for Michiganders who want to become early childhood educators in 65 counties across Michigan.

“Access to quality, affordable early learning opportunities sets kids up for long-term success,” Whitmer said in a statement.

The investment in apprenticeships, she said, will create more paths for Michiganders to become skilled, qualified early education professionals and help the state meet its goal of opening or expanding 1,000 child care programs by the end of 2024.

“We are already well on track, with nearly 800 programs opened, and with today’s investment we will continue taking action to help aspiring education professionals and our kids ‘make it’ in Michigan.”

The investment for ECE Registered Apprenticeship grantees is part of the $12.9 million in federal American Rescue Plan Act funding awarded by the Michigan Department of Education as part of the Caring for MI Future initiative, a $100 million investment to open 1,000 new, or expanded, child care programs by the end of 2024.

The recipients of the ECE Registered Apprenticeships are as follows:

≤ Capital Area Michigan Works! – $120,000;

≤ Child Care Network – $230,000;

≤ Great Lakes Bay Michigan Works! – $120,000;

≤ GST Michigan Works! – $229,000;

≤ Macomb St. Clair Michigan Works! – $120,000;

≤ Michigan Works! Region 7B – $230,000;

≤ Michigan Works! Northwest Consortium – $120,000;

≤ Michigan Works! West Central – $230,000;

≤ Networks Northeast – $230,000;

≤ Oakland County Michigan Works! – $120,000;

≤ West Michigan Works! – $120,000; and

≤ Upper Peninsula Michigan Works! – $230,000.

“We recognize the vital role that highly skilled child care providers play in supporting working families across the state,” Michigan Works! Association CEO, Ryan Hundt. “This dynamic partnership between the Early Childhood Investment Corporation and Michigan Works! underscores our commitment to fostering high-quality child care and driving economic growth hand-in-hand.”