Early Childhood Strategy: Talent Pipeline Management

This strategy involves targeted and intentional efforts to attract, develop, and retain a skilled and diverse workforce to meet the needs of young children and familiesⁱ. The shortage of early care and education (ECE) professionals is a significant challenge that affects the quality, accessibility, and affordability of early childhood programs and services. Several barriersⁱⁱ contribute to this shortage:

• Low wages and benefits
• Lack of professional development and career advancement opportunities
• High turnover rates due to low wages, demanding work conditions, and limited opportunities for advancement  
• Increasingly stringent educational requirements and credentialing standards  
• Workforce demographics, which is predominantly female and disproportionately from racial and ethnic minority groups who face systemic barriers to economic opportunity and advancement
• Limited access to affordable ECE for children of potential ECE providers

Addressing the shortage of early care and education workforce requires a talent pipeline management system that provides comprehensive, multi-faceted solutions to the systemic challenges and barriers within the fieldⁱⁱⁱ. By implementing talent pipeline management strategies in early care and education, stakeholders can strengthen the ECE workforce, improve program quality, and ultimately enhance outcomes for young children and families.  

An effective talent pipeline management system^iv encompasses the following elements:

• Workforce development: identifying workforce needs and priorities, including assessing demand for early childhood professionals, identifying areas of workforce shortage or turnover, and projecting future workforce needs based on demographic trends and program expansion initiatives
• Recruitment and retention: implementing recruitment and retention initiatives^v to attract and retain skilled early childhood professionals, such as targeted recruitment efforts to attract diverse candidates, competitive salaries and benefits, opportunities for professional growth and advancement, and supportive work environments that value and respect employees' contributions
• Professional development and training: investing in professional development and training opportunities to build the knowledge, skills, and competencies of early childhood professionals, such as ongoing training and coaching, supporting with obtaining credentials and certifications, and opportunities for career pathways and advancement within the ECE field^vi.
• Credentialing and certification: supporting the development and recognition of credentials and certifications for ECE professionals^vii, which could involve partnering with accrediting bodies, colleges, and training institutions to establish quality standards and pathways for obtaining credentials, certifications, and degrees in ECE and related fields^viii
• Partnerships and collaboration: fostering partnerships and collaboration between ECE programs, educational institutions, employers, government agencies, and community organizations to support workforce development initiatives in such areas as curriculum development, resources and best practices, and policies that support the ECE workforce^ix
• Data-driven decision-making: relying on data-driven decision-making processes to inform workforce planning and investment strategies, such as collecting and analyzing data on workforce trends, educator qualifications, turnover rates, and other workforce indicators^x to identify areas for improvement and target interventions effectively.

• Diversity, equity and inclusion: implementing strategies to recruit and retain educators from diverse backgrounds, addressing barriers to entry and advancement for underrepresented groups, and creating inclusive work environments that value and celebrate diversity^xi
• Continuous improvement and evaluation: ongoing monitoring, evaluation, and continuous improvement of workforce development initiatives through regular assessments of program effectiveness, feedback from early childhood professionals and stakeholders, and adjusting strategies and investments based on lessons learned and emerging needs^xii

Programs and Practices Within This Strategy

• Early Childhood Career Pathways and Apprenticeships
• Micro-credentialing
• Workforce compensation and benefits

See it in Action

• Kentucky Talent Pipeline Management
• Child Care Worker Income Exclusion Program
• Early Childhood Workforce Development for New Vermonters