24-hour child care facility launched in Everett to enhance workforce by providing continuous childcare services
New Child Care Center to Support Workers in Nonstandard Hours
In an effort to address the challenges faced by workers in trades and manufacturing with nonstandard hours, a new child care center is set to open in Everett, Washington. The Machinists Institute, in partnership with the International Association of Machinists, District 751, is launching the Little Wings Early Learning Academy in the first quarter of 2026.
The cost of getting an education and required certifications to work in early learning is often a "double hit" for those in the field, according to Shana Peschek, executive director of the Machinists Institute. Recognizing this, the child care center aims to offer benefits and pay that are competitive, and an apprenticeship path for aspiring teachers to help pay for their training.
The center will cater to those who work early in the morning or at night, such as machinists, firefighters, restaurant workers, and nurses. It will offer nonstandard hours, with the possibility of operating 24/7 to provide overnight care if demand is there. This is crucial for workers in industries like manufacturing and trades requiring shift work outside typical business hours.
The project is backed by private and public funding, including about $7 million in state and local government money. It will also accept public subsidies and will be open to the entire community, not just the children of machinists.
In a 2021 survey of 1,433 Washington workers in building, construction, and manufacturing trades, 56% identified the availability of child care during nontraditional hours as a substantial problem. Half of the survey respondents said the ability to change child care hours as needed for work was a substantial problem. Among low-income children under 6 years old with working parents in Washington, 54% had parents who worked some nonstandard hours in 2018. Thirteen percent of such children had parents working majority nonstandard hours.
State Rep. Mary Fosse, D-Everett, noted that the project is paving the way for a solution to the challenges with child care access and affordability in Snohomish County and the state. The center will renovate an existing building into a child care center and will include an outdoor learning option. It is slated to be licensed for 168 children, but will have capacity for nearly 500 over the different shifts.
While Washington participates in federal subsidy programs, limitations such as restricted subsidy office hours may affect application and subsidy access for parents working outside standard business times. In-home and home-based child care offer flexibility and extended hours meeting the unique scheduling demands of nonstandard work shifts. These options tend to be suitable for parents with nonstandard or unpredictable shifts.
The child care center's opening is timely, as it comes at a time when there is a need to bring more women into the trades workforce. As of 2021, women make up less than 11% of the workforce in construction and 4% in the trades, according to the National Association of Women in Construction. Bringing more women into the trades workforce could help address labor shortages and set them up for stable, well-paying jobs.
The Little Wings Early Learning Academy is poised to make a significant impact in the lives of working parents in trades and manufacturing, providing them with the child care solutions they need to balance their work and family life.
- The Little Wings Early Learning Academy, set to open in Everett, Washington, is a joint initiative by the Machinists Institute and the International Association of Machinists, District 751, aimed at supporting workers in nonstandard hours, particularly those in industries like manufacturing and trades.
- This child care center will offer competitive benefits and pay, as well as an apprenticeship path for aspiring teachers to help cover the cost of their training, recognizing the financial strains often encountered in the early learning field.
- Microsoft, a significant player in Seattle's bustling business and finance sector, may benefit from this initiative as its workers, such as those working nonstandard hours, will have improved access to child care.
- The government of Washington State has contributed around $7 million towards the project, demonstrating a commitment to addressing child care access and affordability issues, not just for workers in trades and manufacturing, but for the broader community as well.
