Baltimore apprenticeship program to increase industrial workforce

(August 10, 2018—BALTIMORE, Md.) Baltimore Mayor Catherine Pugh announced the launch of the new Industrial Maintenance Mechanic Apprenticeship program last week. The program will provide mechanical skills training and certification aimed at addressing workforce needs in the energy sector.

This apprenticeship program differs from others in that students can enter the workforce after demonstrating mastery of required skills, rather than completing a specified number of classroom or job site hours. It is estimated that apprenticeships will be three years, or around 605 hours of training, before industry-standard certifications are issued.

The program will start in September 2018, with all classroom time and training provided by Baltimore City Community College. The creation of the program stemmed from the inputs of local organizations including Maryland Chamber of Commerce members, Baltimore Gas & Electric Co., Johns Hopkins University,  MedStar Health and University of Maryland, Baltimore, as well as state and city agencies in Maryland.

To read more about the program and the effects it will have on workforce development, head to the Baltimore Business Journal.