Nash Community College is proud to announce its selection as a recipient of the Early Childhood Workforce Ready Grant through the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS). This initiative, part of the state’s new Child Care Academies effort to address the early care and learning workforce crisis, provides fully funded training designed to prepare individuals for immediate employment in licensed child care settings.
Through this grant, NCC will launch three completely free Early Childhood Workforce Ready Academies in 2026, offering participants essential certifications, hands-on training, and the opportunity to become eligible for the North Carolina Early Childhood Teacher Credential.
“This academy removes one of the biggest barriers to entering the early childhood field and higher education.. cost,” said Jodi York, Instructor of Early Childhood Education and administrator of the grant at NCC. “We are thrilled to offer comprehensive, high-quality training at no charge to participants. This program will not only prepare individuals for meaningful careers working with young children but will also support the urgent needs of our community’s childcare programs.”
Academy Dates & Schedule
Each Academy includes four weeks of training, combining classroom instruction Monday–Thursday and required weekly training on Fridays. All textbooks and course materials are provided at no cost.
1st Academy: January 26 – February 16
2nd Academy: April 20 – May 14
3rd Academy: June 1 – June 25
Included Training & Credentials
Participants will complete all state-required early childhood foundational trainings, including:
- CPR/First Aid
- Infant/Toddler Safe Sleep (ITS/SIDS)
- State-Mandated Health & Safety Modules
- Playground Safety
- Recognizing and Responding to Suspicions of Child Maltreatment
- Eligibility to apply for the North Carolina Early Childhood Teacher Credential
All coursework, training, textbooks, and materials are fully funded by the grant.
“These academies create a direct, supported path into the workforce at a time when childcare programs across the state urgently need qualified professionals,” York added. “We hope individuals who feel called to care for young children, and those considering enrolling in our full Early Childhood program, see this as the perfect first step.”
NCC encourages anyone interested in beginning a career in early childhood education, or those wishing to explore the field before committing to a degree program, to enroll in one of the upcoming academies.
Interested participants may contact Jodi York at jryork519@nashcc.edu or 252-451-8317.
