Empowering Staff, Strengthening Programs: How Tri-County Is Transforming Training With Academy+

At Tri-County Child and Family Development Council, ensuring high-quality learning for children starts with well-trained, well-supported staff. As hiring needs grew, the leadership team recognized the challenges of onboarding and ongoing professional development.

For Angie Barth, interim educational services director, the solution was Academy+, a platform that simplifies training, tracks progress, and empowers staff at every level.

“We have been diligently working to improve our onboarding process as we continue hiring more and more staff,” Barth shared. “Academy+ has been an amazing tool, allowing us to transfer our own training into the system and combine it with existing Academy+ courses into one learning path.”

Having a structured learning path ensures new hires receive consistent, high-quality training and reduces the administrative burden on managers. 

“The learning path not only streamlines it for new staff but also for managers tracking employee progress as well,” Barth explained. “Set-up is quick and simple, which is an added bonus!”

Instead of juggling multiple platforms, Academy+ provides a single system for onboarding, ongoing training, and professional development.

Moreover, Tri-County is using Academy+ to support staff working toward their Child Development Associate (CDA) credential—a critical certification in early childhood education. By leveraging the CDA Pathway, employees can balance coursework with their daily responsibilities, while managers can easily track their progress. This ensures that professional development remains accessible, flexible, and aligned with career goals.

For Barth, one of the biggest impacts of Academy+ has been fostering a culture of continuous learning. “Academy+ allows us to use one system for multiple areas of professional development,” she said. “It helps us support staff in achieving their goals while also ensuring our program is delivering high-quality services.”

Tri-County’s success highlights how intentional, structured training can empower staff and strengthen Head Start programs. As programs nationwide seek efficient ways to train and develop their workforce, Academy+ is helping bridge the gap between onboarding, professional growth, and long-term career success.

If you’d like to explore how Academy+ can support your program, book a demo.