Texas Border Business
By Joey Gomez
McALLEN, Texas – South Texas College celebrated the first cohort of its Early Childhood Education Associate Teacher Registered Apprenticeship Program (RAP), marking a major milestone in expanding the region’s early childhood workforce through paid, hands-on learning and formal training.
Fourteen apprentices earned their completion certificates during a ceremony hosted by STC’s Continuing Education and Workforce Development division.
The program, registered with the U.S. Department of Labor, combines 3,000 hours of on-the-job experience with 160 hours of college-based instruction, creating a model that leaders with Continuing Education say is helping meet urgent staffing needs across local child care centers in the region.
Employers from child care centers, including those from Covenant Christian Academy in McAllen, Easter Seals RGV and Little Bright Minds Child Development Center in Pharr, attended the ceremony.
“These apprenticeship programs provide the opportunity for students to not only learn, but to also work and gain hands-on experience,” said Olivia De La Rosa, dean of Continuing Education and Workforce Development. “It gets them that much further along, especially when there’s a real need in the community.”
De La Rosa opened the ceremony by welcoming families, employers and students who completed what she called a “rigorous and transformative experience.”
She credited strong institutional support from STC Vice President and Provost for Student Affairs Anahid Petrosian, Ph.D., and Social and Behavioral Sciences Dean Eric Reittinger, along with all the faculty who built the curriculum and federal submissions from the ground up.
Child Development Program Chair Veronica Rodriguez called the moment a celebration of commitment, resilience and professional growth.
“I want you to look at where you were then, and look at where you are now,” Rodriguez told the graduates as early photos of the cohort appeared on the screen. “You have accomplished so much – not just a certificate, not just on-the-job experience, but personal growth as well.”
Rodriguez said apprentices trained weekly at STC and immediately applied their new skills at their job sites while being supported by supervisors and faculty mentors. The effort grew from a statewide push to increase access to high-quality early childhood education by addressing severe teacher shortages.
“We realized the need,” Rodriguez said. “Child care centers need more teachers, and this credential is a steppingstone. They have proven themselves, and now they have a pathway to continue with certificates, associate degrees and even bachelor’s degrees.”
Illianna Perez, a teacher at Covenant Christian Academy, was among the apprentices being honored. Perez, who received her Child Development Associate (CDA) credential said it felt like a powerful step in her career.
Perez said the CDA provided her with deeper understanding of early childhood development, from social and academic foundations to motor skills and milestone support.
“It’s definitely an accomplishment and a huge step in achieving my goals,” Perez said. “This gives me the motivation to continue with my education. I have always enjoyed working with kids and everything just fell into place. I took the leap and here I am.”
Another apprentice, Edielle Ramirez, said the achievement left her speechless. “I’m so excited that I can’t even put it into words,” she said.
Ramirez added that her motivation for joining the program was simple, “Just to be a better teacher for my students.”
With the first cohort now completed, STC is preparing to launch its next group of apprentices in January 2026, continuing what leadership describes as a growing partnership between employers, educators and the communities they serve.
“This program shows them that they can do it,” De La Rosa said. “It opens the door for everything that comes next.”
For more information on the vast number of courses and trainings available through STC Continuing Education, visit www.southtexascollege.edu/cpit/.
Information source: STC
