Early Learning Works: Addressing Oregon’s Childcare Crisis While Helping Refugees Rebuild Their Lives

Oregon is facing a childcare crisis. Families across the state are struggling to find affordable preschool options, while preschool providers are unable to hire enough qualified teachers to meet the demand. Half of Oregon’s counties are considered childcare deserts, meaning fewer than one-third of local children have access to a licensed childcare provider. Even in Multnomah County, where the voter-approved Preschool for All initiative aims to close this gap—shortages in preschool staff have slowed the rollout of free preschool seats, limiting opportunities for working parents.

Without reliable childcare, many parents are forced to stay home, reducing overall workforce participation and straining household finances. At the same time, preschool owners say they are struggling to stay open without enough teachers. The lack of available workers threatens not only the childcare sector but also the broader economy, as working families depend on access to quality early learning programs.

The search for solutions has led workforce leaders to innovative training models—programs that both address workforce shortages and address barriers for job seekers. Early Learning Works, a workforce initiative led by Worksystems, is one such solution. The program connects job seekers with paid preschool internships, training, and job placement to help address the critical shortage of early childhood educators.

This workforce strategy is designed to tackle multiple challenges at once. By training and placing new early childhood educators, it helps fill critical teaching positions in Oregon’s preschools, addressing a major staffing shortage. At the same time, it creates career pathways for job seekers, providing them with the skills and experience needed to secure stable jobs. While jobs in this field can generally have low wages, Worksystems supports job placements at Preschool for All sites because the wages and benefits, which are set by Multnomah County, meet the requirements of the Quality Jobs Framework. As more qualified educators enter the field, preschool availability expands, offering working families greater access to reliable childcare. In turn, this enables more parents to return to the workforce, strengthening Oregon’s economy and ensuring a more resilient labor market.

For many job seekers, Early Learning Works provides a life-changing opportunity to re-enter the workforce in a meaningful, stable career. As it happens, among those benefiting from the program are a number of Ukrainian refugees, many of whom were teachers or caregivers in their home country but arrived in Oregon with no clear path forward.

Starting over in a new country is daunting, especially for refugees who arrive with limited English proficiency, lacking US work credentials, and with little financial stability. Fortunately, the Early Learning Works program is providing a pathway to employment and stability for some Ukrainian refugees here in Oregon. Recent coverage from The Oregonian and KGW has highlighted the program’s profound impact, showcasing how it is helping refugees rebuild their lives while addressing Oregon’s critical childcare workforce shortage.

Among them is Nataliia Rudomanova, who was a music teacher for 26 years in Ukraine before the war forced her to flee. In Oregon, she found herself having to rebuild her life from scratch. With support from WorkSource Oregon and Early Learning Works, she secured a paid preschool internship, gaining valuable experience while completing her required training hours.

Today, she is a full-time preschool teacher, helping fill a critical gap in early education staffing. More than just a job, her new career has provided stability and a sense of belonging. “She loves having a job—it helps her divert attention from everything happening back home,” said her career coach. You can learn more about her full story in this KGW article.

Asia Aseieva worked as a preschool teaching assistant in Mariupol, Ukraine, but when she arrived in Oregon, she spoke no English and didn’t know what job opportunities were available to her. Through WorkSource Oregon, she connected with a career coach who helped her apply for Early Learning Works.

After completing her 300-hour paid internship, she was hired full-time by the preschool where she trained. Now earning $22 an hour, Asia is continuing to grow in her career while also attending English classes at Portland Community College. This Oregonian article explores her story in depth.

Early Learning Works is more than just a job training program—it’s a strategic investment in Oregon’s future. By expanding the early childhood workforce, it helps stabilize preschools, supports working families, and strengthens the broader economy. With every new teacher trained, more children gain access to quality early education, more parents can return to work, and more job seekers find meaningful careers. As Oregon works toward universal preschool access, workforce programs like Early Learning Works ensure that progress isn’t stalled by staffing shortages but propelled by a well-prepared, dedicated workforce.