Project Overview
The Good Jobs Metro Boston Coalition Child Care Sectoral Partnership is funded by the Good Jobs Challenge grant as part of the American Rescue Plan. In partnership with The City of Boston’s Office of Workforce Development and the Metropolitan Area Planning Council, The CAYL Institute will serve as the backbone organization to coordinate the work for the childcare sector.
The Good Jobs Metro Boston Coalition Child Care Sectoral Partnership will focus on building a Workforce System that can source hundreds of educators while building a system that can sustain and expand our work beyond the three years funding affordable us by the Department of Commerce.
history & program information
Good Jobs Challenge History
What is the Good Jobs Challenge?
The Good Jobs Challenge, one of EDA’s six innovative American Rescue Plan programs, invests $500 million across the United States to help train Americans for good jobs by developing and strengthening regional workforce training systems and sectoral partnerships. On August 3, 2022, EDA announced awards to 32 industry-led, worker-centered training partnerships and systems across the country, which will impact 31 states and Puerto Rico. For more information on the nationwide Good Jobs Challenge, please visit: https://www.eda.gov/funding/programs/american-rescue-plan/good-jobs-challenge
Boston's Good Jobs Challenge History
What is Boston's Role in the Good Jobs Challenge?
Boston’s Mayor, Michelle Wu, announced in August 2022 that the City of Boston had been awarded $23 Million for the EDA’s Good Jobs Challenge Grant. The Mayor’s Office of Workforce Development was the lead applicant, bringing together key partners from within the Greater Boston Region. Boston’s focus for the Good Jobs Challenge will be childcare, healthcare, and clean energy industries.
Boston’s Good Jobs Challenge Resources:
Healthcare Sector — led by the Healthcare Careers Consortium
Clean Energy Sector – led by Franklin Cummings Tech
The CAYL Institute's Good Jobs Challenge History and Program Information
What is The CAYL Institute's Role in the Good Jobs Challenge?
In partnership with The City of Boston’s Office of Workforce Development and the Metropolitan Area Planning Council, The CAYL Institute will serve as the backbone organization to coordinate the work for the childcare sector.
The Good Jobs Metro Boston Good Jobs Coalition Child Care Sectoral Partnership will focus on building a Workforce System that can source hundreds of educators while building a system that can sustain and expand our work beyond the three years funding affordable us by the Department of Commerce. The Good Jobs Challenge Grant is a three-year, multi-phase project.
Communities of Practice
The CAYL Institute launched Communities of Practice (CoP) as part of the Good Jobs Challenge grant in February 2024. Communities of Practice are a space where, through topic-centric discussion, the group can begin mapping solutions to challenges inherent in hiring, training, and retaining teachers in the Early Childhood Education sector.
Check out this section to stay up-to-date with our CoP “aha” moments and learnings, and to listen to the CoP podcast!
Listen to our Communities of Practice Podcast – Episode 1
Listen to Communities of Practice Podcast – Episode 2
Listen to Communities of Practice Podcast – Episode 3
Listen to Communities of Practice Podcast – Episode 4
Listen to Communities of Practice Podcast – Episode 5
forms and links
Request for Proposals: The CAYL Institute – Good Jobs Challenge Grant Documentation Submissions due by 4:00 p.m. EST on July 12, 2024
Good Jobs Metro Boston Coalition Child Care Sectoral Partnerships RFQ
Submissions due by 5:00 PM EST on May 3, 2023
recordings
faq's
GENERAL
What is the total number of candidates you will be sourcing/training for this initiative?
Throughout the three-year grant, the Good Jobs Challenge aims to source, train and employ enough candidates to meet or exceed the goal of employing 500 new center-based teacher assistants, upskill 200 teachers into lead teacher positions, source and train 100 Family Child Care Educators, and upskill 50 existing Family Child Care Educators.
What is considered Metro Boston? What is the reach of this program?
The footprint of the Good Jobs Challenge grant covers the localities located in Metro Boston, North Shore, South Shore, Merrimack Valley, Metro North, and MetroWest Mass Hire Career Center locations.
When will contracts/MOUs with participating partners be finalized?
The process for developing contracts and agreements with participating partners will be developed and distributed in February and executed in March 2023. All contracts and MOUs will be finalized and submitted by March 31, 2023.
When will the program officially begin?
The program begins with the outreach and recruitment of candidates for the teachers, lead teachers, Head Start Teacher Assistants, Head Start Teachers, and FCC Educators in April of 2023.
EMPLOYERS
What is the minimum rate that employers must provide to the candidates?
The Good Jobs Challenge grant strives for a minimum hourly rate of $15.49/hr for Teacher Assistants and $19.44/hr. for Lead Teachers.
Will CAYL financially support employers to provide higher wages to candidates?
CAYL’s strategy does not include monies to offset salary expectations, however, the grant will support participants with wrap-around support to assist them in being able to participate in the program successfully.
What is the recruitment plan for this program?
The Sourcing Partners, including MassHire Centers, will develop their recruitment process in a way that makes sense for their geography and clientele. This usually includes outreach such as postings through media, social media, internal client lists and external recruitment activities/job fairs, job seekers on the unemployment lists, etc.
How successful was the pilot and expansion of this program? What did retention look like?
The original pilot and expansion, led by The Care Institute with Jewish Vocational Services in Boston and MassHire Lowell, were able to source candidates that met the needs of the employers. New Teachers were placed in positions and a year later 80% of the candidates remain in the early care and education field. Those who left their positions did so due to family emergencies and health concerns.
COLLEGES
Is EEC allowing the use of Career Pathways funds for the MA GJC initiative?
Yes, EEC is supportive of this work. Career Pathways grantees can enroll Good Jobs Challenge participants as their budgets allow. Planning by the Career Pathways Community College grantees for future fiscal year grants is encouraged to earmark funding for GJC.
Many of our ECE students need additional support to successfully complete their coursework. What additional support will be available through this program?
The Good Jobs Challenge grant has resources to provide coursework, supportive services such as ESL support, wrap-around supports such as technology, and funds available to assist participants with additional barriers that prevent their success in the program.
SOURCING PARTNERS
How much will the candidates receive in the form of a stipend? Are there any restrictions on these funds?
Due to Federal Policy, the provision of stipends is not permitted in this grant, however, we continue to investigate potential options and resources to bring this element of the strategy back. We will let partners know of any updates regarding stipends in the future.
What wraparound services are being offered to candidates through this program?
The Good Jobs Challenge will work closely with sourcing partners as they assess participants for any needs individuals have that would impact their success in the program. These services could include ESL support, technology support, transportation support, fees related to coursework, food support, etc.
FCC PROGRAM
What is the process for determining program design elements?
We have identified programs/partners that are already successfully supporting FCCs and are currently working with these partners to design a strategy that combines these successful elements into a comprehensive support/training program for FCC providers and candidates.
LEAD TEACHER UPSKILLING
What will the Lead Teacher Upskilling program consist of?
The Good Jobs Challenge is currently in the process of finalizing the strategy supporting the design of the Lead Teacher Upskilling Program.
