CUNY asks council for $3 million to scale early‑childhood apprenticeship program
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Summary
CUNY told the council it seeks $3 million over three years to support 200 apprenticeship slots that combine on‑the‑job experience, tuition support and employer coaching; agencies said apprenticeships are a useful tool but that broader funding and placement guarantees will be needed to scale.
City University of New York officials asked the City Council to fund a three‑year, $3 million expansion of an early‑childhood apprenticeship model that they say can accelerate credentialing and placements for new educators.
Donna Anderson, executive director of the New York Early Childhood Professional Development Institute at CUNY, said the institute’s apprenticeship pilot received 400 applicants for 30 slots and that the $3 million request would support 200 apprentices over three years, covering supports for apprentices and employer partners. “Our ask before the council is $3,000,000 over 3 years for 200 apprentices,” Anderson said.
Anderson and CUNY dean Ashley Thompson described apprenticeship models as a way to combine paid on‑the‑job learning with college credit and credential attainment, including CDA pathways and credit‑bearing coursework offered in English and Spanish. Thompson also referenced supports such as test‑voucher programs and targeted bilingual extensions aimed at reducing barriers to certification.
Council members and provider witnesses welcomed the model but pressed for clarity about job placements after training. CUNY said apprentices are matched to local employers by location and fit, and that match days and host interviews are part of the process; the council urged stronger guarantees for placement and scale‑up supports for CBO hosts.
Advocates and providers at the hearing urged that apprenticeship expansion be paired with immediate pay parity, contract reliability and funding stability so that graduates can enter jobs that are sustainable. The council requested follow‑up on projected placement rates, long‑term funding needs and how apprenticeship slots would align with the planned 2,002 2K seats launching this fall.
The administration said it has piloted at least two apprenticeship programs supported by NYC Talent and philanthropic funds and that it will evaluate outcomes to identify models that can be embedded and scaled across agencies.
