CDA Credential Pathway

New Apprentice Orientation & Intake is the required first step to start your apprenticeship. We confirm eligibility, collect required documents, review expectations, and set your timeline—so you leave with a clear checklist, next steps, and support contacts to stay on track.

The ELM Evidence-to-Practice Webinar Series: Birth–5 Curriculum Readiness is a 16-session, live online training series that helps ECE apprentices strengthen ELM (Purdue) curriculum readiness while building a clear, organized “proof of practice” portfolio. Across clearly defined Domains of Learning, apprentices learn what evidence-based practice looks like in real classrooms—and how to document it in a way that’s usable for coaching, competency validation, and program accountability.

Child Growth & Development is a 45-contact-hour course that supports CDA preparation by helping participants advance children’s physical and intellectual development through developmentally appropriate practice and real-world application. It includes a CDA-aligned Resource Collection for the Professional Portfolio and manual review of competency statements to ensure they are polished and ready for CDA application portal upload.

A 6-week CDA Prep foundation course for educators working with children birth–8. Covers CDA preparation across all 13 subject areas and includes portfolio supports, manual review of competency statements, and exam prep aligned to Registered Apprenticeship OJT milestones and U.S. DOL progression.

A 6-week CDA Prep foundation course for educators working with children birth–8. Covers CDA preparation across all 13 subject areas and includes portfolio supports, manual review of competency statements, and exam prep aligned to Registered Apprenticeship OJT milestones and U.S. DOL progression.