Flowers Early Learning in Paw Paw has announced the launch of a new early childhood education apprenticeship program.

Flowers Chief Operating Officer Kevin Wordelman tells us coming out of COVID, the education center began to experience a severe shortage of staff, leading to the closure of some classrooms. Over time, it started to look at ways to attract help and realized part of the problem is many who might choose that career don’t have a clear way to do it. So, Wordelman says this apprenticeship program will enable someone interested in working with children age zero to five to get paid and receive benefits while training and working toward a degree.

“They’ll be working in classrooms, they’ll be working side by side with experienced staff members and they’ll be completing four college-level courses in early childhood education at Southwestern Michigan College,” Wordelman said.

Wordelman says early childhood education is a great way to get started on the road toward a teaching career, telling us if you can survive a day with the toddlers, you can survive anything. He adds Flowers Early Learning also wants to help erase a stigma that has many people thinking early childhood educators are just babysitters. He says they help convey critical social and emotional skills to kids and do it in a patient and nurturing way.

Anyone interested in exploring the new apprenticeship program should contact Flowers Early Learning to get started.