Join us to learn how a substitute pool model in early childhood education operationalizes job quality in a sector facing persistent workforce challenges. Through a partnership between a Workforce Development Council of Seattle-King County and the Imagine Institute, childcare facilities receive relief coverage that makes it easier for educators to take needed time away from the classroom while creating paid, work-based entry points into the field for new educators. At a moment when essential workers are leaving the field and childcare instability constrains economic growth, this approach demonstrates how workforce systems can invest in job design, not just training, to strengthen dignity, sustainability, and outcomes for workers and employers alike. You’ll leave with a deeper understanding of how this model works in practice, the conditions that support its success, and ideas for adapting similar approaches in your own community.