Governor Wes Moore announced today that Maryland is investing $5 million through the Department of Labor’s Industry Apprenticeship Accelerator to expand registered apprenticeship programs in high-demand fields including healthcare, information technology, early childhood education, manufacturing and agriculture.
The funding will support nine organizations that will work with employers, educational institutions, labor organizations and industry associations to launch and expand apprenticeship programs across the state. Collectively, the projects are expected to create 14 new registered apprenticeship programs, recruit nearly 150 employers and add more than 650 apprentices in occupations identified as critical to Maryland’s workforce needs.
The award recipients are Baltimore’s Promise, Frederick Innovative Technology Center, Hamilton-Ryker Group, Harford Community College, JobForward, Maryland Agricultural Education Foundation, OpenClassrooms, Prince George’s Community College and the University of Maryland, College Park. Several of the projects will also expand High School Level Registered Apprenticeship programs, allowing students to begin paid career training while completing high school.
According to the state, the initiative was created through the Registered Apprenticeship Investments for a Stronger Economy (RAISE) Act. In addition to the $5 million in state funding, the awardees are expected to leverage more than $5 million in financial and in-kind contributions from employers, educational institutions and other partners to further expand apprenticeship opportunities across Maryland.
