Colorado Mesa University Early Childhood Education

It takes an ecosystem to power a workforce.

No single organization can solve the early childhood workforce shortage alone. That’s why Colorado is building a unified, sustainable apprenticeship system across all 64 counties.

Why are apprenticeships so important?
🔹 They bring high-quality, debt-free training to rural and hard-to-reach areas.
🔹 They reduce childcare waitlists by ensuring centers are adequately staffed.
🔹 They allow parents to return to the workforce with peace of mind.
🔹 They keep stable, familiar "brain builders" in the classroom day after day.

When our early childhood workforce is stable and well-trained, our entire community thrives.

Read more about how we are joining forces to secure a brighter future for Colorado's families: https://bit.ly/4fNg8md

Honored to be invited to the Governors Mansion to talk with amazing leaders in Education. Global MindEd Conference connects leaders to discuss building future leaders and workforce.

📣 The 2026 GlobalMindED Conference comes to Denver June 10–12 at the Sheraton Denver Downtown Hotel—right here in the Mile High City!

This national convening will bring together 1,000+ leaders across early learning, K–12, higher education, philanthropy, policy, and industry—along with 300 students from across the country—to strengthen inclusive leadership and expand pathways to opportunity. A key focus will be elevating student voice, with students featured across panels and connected to mentors, internships, and employers.

Colorado Department of Early Childhood Executive Director Dr. Lisa Roy will participate in a featured panel on Friday, June 12 titled “Early Learning – Where We Go From Here Between Now and Next June,” alongside national and community leaders working in education and advocacy.

Learn more: https://globalminded.org/2026-globalminded-conference/

Congratulations To our EDEC and ECSE graduates!!!!

https://www.facebook.com/share/1FoQesynWi/ Job's Day. Early Childhood Workforce Partner and Apprentices/Students

Great time learning more about how to continue the growth of our ECE apprenticeship program at ECEPTS Conference. Honored to present with the Colorado Department of early childhood, Apprenticeship coordinator Kathleen, about our work on the western slope with bilingual apprentices. 

Celebrating our Early Childhood workforce partners, and the students who work for them. 

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/19F71cwaKs/

Congratulations to Stephanie Stelljes and Vail Shoultz-McCole on their nominations.

We’re proud to recognize Early Childhood Champions across Colorado who are making a difference in the lives of children and families every day! 💫

From providers and educators to home visitors, health professionals, and community leaders, these champions reflect the care, dedication, and impact happening in communities across our state.

We’re now 70% of the way to our goal of celebrating 150 Early Childhood Champions, and we’re not done yet!

👉 Explore the growing list of champions:
https://cdec.colorado.gov/150/250-celebrating-early-childhood-champions

Know someone making a difference?
👉 Submit a nomination: bit.ly/EC-Champ

Let’s keep celebrating the people who help children learn, grow, and thrive.