Lincoln early childhood education workforce program is expanding

LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN) — A program meant to grow Lincoln’s early childhood education workforce is expanding thanks to a city grant.

The City of Lincoln recently announced that it will be extending funding for the Job Training Program at Community Action Head Start for two years.

Community Action said it helps their teachers, like Jaqueline Beltran Tinoco, achieve their career goals.

The program helped Beltran get her Child Development Associate credential.

“Something that I didn’t think I was going to be able to do because of my home circumstances,” she said.

The grant fully pays for Community Action teachers’ CDAs.

“They’re getting a paycheck, working, and at the same time, they’re getting their education,” said Kathy Sullivan-Romero, the program’s training coordinator. 

The grant also gives teachers financial help to get an associate or bachelor’s degree.

All of this is intended to encourage people to pursue this career, which is facing a workforce shortage. 

Community Action said the program not only helps teachers, but the community as a whole. 

“The more that they learn through their educational programs, they can bring that into the classroom,” Sullivan-Romero said. 

Beltran said it has helped her grow as a teacher. 

“I was able to learn a lot about early childhood, things I didn’t even know and were, like, super important,” she said. “And I was able to just build my portfolio.”