Meet The Participants

DHMC Child Care Center is located at 1 Medical Center Drive in Lebanon, New Hampshire and receives financial support from DHMC Hospital to provide high quality child care to its’ employees and the surrounding community. DHMC is a nationally accredited child care center and serves

Following a meeting with the Upper Valley Child Care Association, the New Hampshire State Apprenticeship Council approved the Related Instruction portion of the Vermont Standards of Apprenticeship for the trade of Child Care Development Specialist. Although New Hampshire received an Implementation Grant from the US Department of Labor, they were unable to sustain the training program beyond the original funding.

DHMC Child Care Center is the first program in New Hampshire to take advantage of the opportunity to allow Vermont residents, working in NH child care programs, to enroll in registered apprenticeship, access our college courses and qualify for successful completion.

Apprentice Krista Harris graduated from high school in 1997 and has been employed at DHMC since 2000. Krista entered the apprenticeship program in June 2005 and is attending Community College of Vermont in Wilder. Krista writes, “The Program will help me further my education at little cost. I think it is a wonderful opportunity to gain new information to use towards my own children and to the children I work with. I am interested in learning about the new research that is being conducted on other child care related issues.”

Mentor Kimberly Ferland has an Associate’s degree from Champlain College and is working towards her Bachelor Degree. Kim was awarded a Level 2 Director credential from the NH Child Development Bureau and has worked in the Early Childhood Education field since 1980. Kim, writes, “My life experiences in the early childhood field have taken me through all the different types of programs that are available for young children. I started with a family child care home and went through the process to be licensed in New Hampshire, then took a job as the teacher in a private Nursery School. After moving to Vermont, I worked as a substitute teacher. The rest of my time has been working at center-based programs-as a teacher and then in administration as the program coordinator.

A child care setting will know that graduates of this program have received training in all areas important to their work. It gives untrained workers the opportunity to learn new skills and be qualified for higher paid jobs. I hope to learn from this experience as a mentor in this program by interacting with the apprentice. The close relationship that is built from a mentoring relationship is fulfilling for both people.”

Director Lori Harris has taught several college classes for the VT Child Care Apprenticeship Program since 2003. Lori writes, “ I think we need to support the employees who want to further their education and want the assistance of a mentor. This program is comprehensive and affords opportunities to students who may not have the opportunity to attend school otherwise. I am very excited about this opportunity to make the program work across state boundaries.”

Vermont Child Care Industry & Careers Council. All rights reserved.
Revised: 1/5/10