New Program Offers Coachella Valley Farmworkers Career Path in Early Childhood Education

Program Overview

UCR Extension has launched a free 12-month program designed to help Coachella Valley farmworkers transition into careers in early childhood education. The initiative, funded by the California Employment Development Department and administered through UCR Extension, aims to provide agricultural workers with new professional opportunities beyond the fields.

What Participants Receive

The program offers farmworkers the chance to earn a state-issued Associate Teacher Permit, which qualifies them to work in various early childhood education settings. Participants receive hands-on experience, English language support, and weekend online classes scheduled to accommodate their current work obligations.

Upon completion, graduates can work in preschools, infant-toddler programs, or even establish their own home daycare businesses.

Addressing Educational Gaps

According to a National Agricultural Workers Survey by the U.S. Department of Labor, California farmworkers complete an average of eighth-grade education, with only 25% having taken adult education classes in the United States. The UCR program is part of a statewide effort to create new career pathways for agricultural workers.

Program Structure

The initiative runs for 12 months and accommodates participants' existing work schedules through weekend online classes. The program is offered at no cost to participants and includes comprehensive support services to ensure successful career transitions from agricultural work to early childhood education.