The Montana Early Childhood Apprenticeship Program (MECAP) aims to support and increase retention of early childhood education (ECE) providers through on-the-job training, mentorship, and college coursework. Upon completing the program, apprentices are awarded the Child Care Development Specialist Certificate from Montana's Department of Labor and Industry and reach Level 4 of the Montana Practitioner Registry. MECAP is a Registered Apprenticeship Program (RAP). The traditional RAP model combines four core components: (1) Facilitating employer involvement to allow apprentices to be paid while they develop their skills through on-the-job learning; (2) Providing career-related educational instruction; (3) Offering incentives for skills gained; and (4) Awarding a nationally recognized occupational credential upon completion. To develop a RAP targeting the ECE workforce, Montana's Department of Labor and the Early Childhood Services Bureau combined their expertise to create MECAP. This project aims to understand how state policies, funding, and practices support the strengthening of the early childhood education (ECE) workforce.