State Looks to Expand Apprenticeships and Job-Training Programs
In an effort to expand apprenticeships in Maryland, Frederick County Public Schools and Washington County Public Schools are serving as pilot programs for Apprenticeship Maryland, a program designed to train young people and help employers hire skilled workers.
According to the Herald-Mail:
“The schools have been administering the program since mid-2016. They have seen firsthand that apprenticeships work, and they know the good they do for our state’s youth,” Maryland Labor Secretary Kelly M. Schulz said in a news release. “FCPS wants a larger role in that work, and we are happy to facilitate that.”
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Under Apprenticeship Maryland, juniors and seniors are hired as apprentices by eligible employers. They work at least 450 hours. They earn a high school diploma and a state skill certificate.
Tweaks to the program have already allowed for more help to the schools and employers. Secretary Schulz notes that while the pilots are still being evaluated, it is already evident that flexibility will be key should the program be expanded statewide.
