The demand for high-quality childcare training has never been greater. Early childhood educators are serving children with increasingly diverse needs while navigating higher expectations, staffing shortages and limited resources. As the field changes, professional development must evolve with it.

The early childhood landscape is becoming increasingly complex, with educators seeing more developmental concerns and more families navigating stress. That means educators need deeper skills in responsive caregiving, trauma‑informed practice and cultural awareness.

The workforce pipeline is stretched thin. Many new educators are stepping into the field with passion but without the preparation they need to succeed. These educators need training that meets them where they are and builds their confidence.

Expectations for high‑quality care have risen as well. Families, funders and state systems now expect children to experience consistent, research‑based teaching and caregiving practices that reliably support their development.

As the 2024 National Association for the Education of Young Children’s workforce survey put it, “significant public investment in childcare is needed urgently to ensure programs can retain qualified educators and remain open to serve children and families.” That’s the reality we’re all living in.

To help fill that gap, Extension has been providing childcare training for more than 25 years, ensuring that childcare providers have access to the tools needed to provide high-quality early childhood care and education to the youngest population in the state.

How professional development is evolving

The way early childhood educators are trained has had to evolve. Today’s workforce needs learning that is flexible, accessible and engaging. Many adult trainees are juggling multiple jobs, family responsibilities and unpredictable schedules. They need training that fits into real life, not the other way around.

Effective training today is flexible, interactive, culturally responsive and designed to build skills over time. This shift has pushed all of us to rethink how we support adult learners. That’s why Extension developed its Spiral Up Academy, Child Development Associate Credential Training & Coaching Program, and Early Childhood Workforce Online Courses — to help meet the needs of existing and future childcare professionals across the state.

One of the biggest drivers of this evolution has been technology. It has expanded access to professional learning through virtual and hybrid training, online learning pathways and on-demand resources that educators can access whenever they need support. Technology has helped level the playing field, so that no matter where someone lives or what their schedule looks like, they can still access high‑quality professional development.

Technology is most valuable when it helps educators reflect, connect and apply what they’ve learned in meaningful ways.

Why continued investment matters

One thing childcare professionals cannot ignore is how federal and state funding cuts are restricting training capacity right when the need is at its highest.

This isn’t just a Nevada issue. The end of pandemic-era stabilization funding has made it harder for states and providers to sustain training opportunities. At a time when educators need more support, not less, stable investment remains essential to building and retaining a qualified workforce.

In Nevada, communities are asking for training, and early childhood professionals are eager to grow, but without stable funding, programs simply can't reach everyone who could benefit.

If communities want a strong early childhood workforce, they must fund it like it matters.

The demand for training is rising, and so are the expectations for quality. But with the right support — training that is accessible, culturally responsive and grounded in real practice — communities can build a stronger, more confident workforce.

This work is about more than professional development. It is about strengthening families, supporting communities and building a Nevada where every child has the chance to thrive.

About author

Cathryn (Cathy) Peshlakai, M.Ed., is an early childhood education professional with the University of Nevada, Reno Extension who develops and delivers research-based professional learning opportunities for Nevada's early childhood workforce. Her work focuses on strengthening educator practice, expanding access to quality training, and supporting positive outcomes for Nevada’s young children and families.