Ms. Muhammad had poignant advice to pass on to her fellow apprentices, offering words that came from her mother. Her mother was also a teacher and told her that “as a teacher, you love them, you teach them, you feed them, you hug them, and you care for them. You make them feel safe because you never know what a child comes from or what a child goes home to.”

Reflecting on her career in early childhood, Ms. Muhammad shared some of the many reasons she feels called to this field, saying “I enjoy seeing the outcome when a child who used to cry every day, or was scared to come, turn into a child who is independent and just happy. I enjoy seeing the children grow and change. I’ve worked with children whose teachers would give up on them, but I stood to the challenge, and to see that child grow and go off to school… confidence is built, behavior is getting better or able to manage - it is why I do what I do. To have families come to you and say ‘Thank you for being you, and caring and being a positive person in my child’s life,’ this is also why I do what I do.”

Ms. Muhammad’s remarks captured the essence of the impact that early childhood teachers have on the children, families, and whole communities that they serve. She summed it up beautifully by saying, “We are that light to a child on a dark day.” She reminded us all that “Child care is not an easy job, as teachers know.” She encouraged the apprentices to not give up, even on days that are not “a bed of roses,” because “believe me, children need consistency in their life, and you just never know how much you mean to them and their families. Always keep an open mind, we live in a world now where children are faced with so many things. Guide them, listen to them, hug them, just be there for them.” 

Reflecting on her experience so far as an apprentice, Ms. Muhammad said “The apprenticeship program has been a great support to me, and if it wasn’t for them fighting for me, making things happen, I probably wouldn’t be graduating next year. So I would like to say thank you to the program… for helping us be the best educators we can be.”

Early Years and our partners are so proud to support apprentices like Ms. Muhammad on their journey to their Certificate and Associate Degree in Early Childhood Education, and we are thrilled to be welcoming 17 new participants to this program. 

Apprentices were recognized during the evening’s program by leaders from the collaborative partners, with remarks from President JB Buxton of Durham Technical Community College, Dr. Kristi Snuggs (President of Early Years), Morgan Ford (Program Director of Building Bright Futures), Tony McKnight (Regional Consultant from ApprenticeshipNC), and Dr. Micara Lewis-Sessoms and Dr. Norman Collins, Sr. (Center for Workforce Engagement at Durham Tech), and Cathy Collie-Robinson (Chair/Instructor of Early Childhood Education at Durham Tech).  

During the Signing Ceremony, apprentices were accompanied by their employers to ceremonially sign their apprenticeship program registration. Apprentices were also celebrated for their progress in the program to-date, with special recognition for apprentices who have completed qualifications to obtain their NC Early Childhood Credential, Infant/Toddler Certificate, Preschool Certificate, or Early Childhood Administration Certificate, and those who are nearing completion of their full Associate Degree.

We were thrilled to share this evening of celebration with the families, friends, and colleagues of Durham’s Early Childhood Apprentices and look forward to supporting this new cohort as they make progress towards their professional goals this year. 

About the Durham Early Childhood Educator Apprenticeship: The Durham Early Childhood Educator Apprenticeship Program offers a uniquely supportive opportunity for early educators to learn while they earn. Apprenticeships are paid positions, offering progressively increasing wages to apprentices based on progress towards educational goals and structured on-the-job learning. Apprentices receive a full scholarship to earn a Certificate or Associate Degree from Durham Tech, with tuition, books and fees 100% covered. Meanwhile, mentors support apprentices to apply their coursework to their day-to-day work with children, practicing these news skills to enhance their everyday interactions, interventions, and instruction with Durham’s youngest children.