Are you interested in becoming a teacher's aide or a teacher?

Do you need to work and go to college at the same time?

Would you like to work in a setting that prepares you for your future teaching career?

ESC 19 is officially recognized as a Registered Teacher Apprenticeship Program! RTAP is working with our  ESC 19 Head Start  in partnership with ESC 19's Teacher Preparation and Certification Program. We are also partnering with San Elizario ISD to offer RTAP to current paraprofessionals in the district.

What is an apprenticeship?

An apprenticeship involves -

• On-the-job learning under a master or senior worker
• A wage while completing on-the-job training
• Classroom instruction
• Nationally recognized credential at successful completion

Apprenticeships also come with funding opportunities that can pay for on-the-job training, wages and other supportive services such as child-care and tuition. (Funding opportunities are available to candidates that meet certain eligibility and income requirements.)

Candidates that are part of the apprenticeship will be attending college at EPCC or UTEP, depending on where they are at in their educational journey. They will also be working full-time with one of our employers as a teacher aide alongside a highly-skilled mentor teacher. As a teacher aide, candidates will receive professional development to help them be successful in the classroom. Candidates may choose to work towards their Associate's degree and complete the Teacher Aide Apprenticeship which is a 2-year program. Candidates wishing to pursue a Texas teaching certificate will continue to the K-12 Teacher Apprenticeship which is a 3-year program. The K-12 Teaching Apprenticeship requires candidates to complete a Bachelor's degree and attend the ESC 19 Teacher Preparation and Certification Program. 

We hosted a community event for interested individuals on Saturday, November 4th, 2024 at the Starlight Event Center. We had many individuals from our community attend. Our partners from the program were present and they were able to share how they are able to support our candidates. Our partners and how they will support candidates are below-

• Head Start - They will serve as the employer for our first cohort of apprentices starting in Spring 2024.
• ESC 19 Teacher Preparation and Certification Program - They are an alternative certification program that all apprentices will go through to become Texas certified teachers.
• Project Arriba - They are a local nonprofit that can assist candidates that qualify with wraparound services and tuition assistance for support.
• Workforce Solutions Borderplex - They are our local workforce board that can assist candidates, that qualify, with wraparound services and tuition assistance for support.  
• El Paso Community College Department of Education - All candidates in RTAP with less than 60 college credit hours will attend EPCC and enroll in the Associate of Arts in Teacher Preparation (all levels). It will transfer to a Bachelor's degree at UTEP and can be completed fully online.
• University of Texas at El Paso College of Education - All candidates in RTAP that are seeking certification in early childhood education or elementary will enroll in the Bachelors of Science in Education with a Concentration in Early Childhood Care & Education (Birth to Age 5), BSED-ECCE, degree. It can be completed fully online.
• University of Texas at El Paso College of Liberal Arts - All candidates seeking certification in secondary or other areas will complete a Bachelor of Multidisciplinary Studies degree or a Bachelor of Applied Arts and Sciences degree.
• District partners will be announced at a later date - They will serve as employers of future cohorts of apprentices starting in Fall 2024.

The recording of our event is below if you were unable to attend and you can learn more about the application process and apprentice requirements by visiting our Overview page. 

Ready to apply for Head Start positions and to start your career path to becoming an early childhood or elementary teacher? Click here.

Are you currently working as a paraprofessional or teacher aide in San Elizario ISD? Contact Blanca Cruz in HR at San Elizario ISD for more information on applying for RTAP.