Youth Apprenticeships

"Youth Apprenticeships cultivate the talent businesses need to expand and maintain Maryland's highly-skilled workforce."
Maryland Labor Secretary Kelly M. Schulz

For a new generation of workers and employers, apprenticeships offer a way of succeeding in the 21st century economy. Studies show that apprenticeships are a win-win for the business and the apprentice alike. Investing in your business by establishing apprenticeship opportunities reduces turnover costs, increases job satisfaction and increases employee productivity.
Engaging a new generation of workers and employers through youth apprenticeships ensures that Maryland remains open for business. The Maryland Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation is proud to be leading efforts to invest in the future of Maryland’s workforce system by investing in the State’s youth.

Apprenticeship Maryland

The Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation is proud to partner with the Maryland State Department of Education and the Department of Commerce in developing a pilot apprenticeship program in two local Maryland school systems. The collaboration is a part of the Augustine Commission’s report released in February 2015.The Commission specifically identified the creation of apprenticeship opportunities as a way Maryland could become more business friendly through the development a highly skilled and efficient workforce. As a direct result of the Commission's recommendations, Apprenticeship Maryland was established with the passage of House Bill 942 (2015).

Apprenticeship Maryland is a new State program that gives Maryland businesses the unique opportunity to train, influence and shape high school students into top-performing employees by providing opportunities for Maryland’s high school juniors and seniors. Participants will “learn while they earn” by not only obtaining a wage, but also academic and occupational skills leading to both a high school diploma and a State Skill Certificate.

The program requires that Eligible Employers hire Apprenticeship Maryland participants to enter into high-skill, high-growth STEM related industries, such as healthcare, biotechnology, information technology, construction and design, banking and finance, and advanced manufacturing. Eligible Employers must also be located in close proximity to the local school systems selected to participate in Apprenticeship Maryland and must have expected future entry level job openings in the Eligible Career Track occupations.

More information for eligible employers.

Application Forms

Frederick and Washington County Public School systems have been awarded grants from the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) to launch the new Apprenticeship Maryland program. Each county will be recruiting up to 60 students for participation in the program over the next two years.

Maryland Youth Apprenticeship Advisory Committee

Established in 2014 by House Bill 1207 (2014), the Youth Apprenticeship Advisory Committee is a group of business, labor and other stakeholders commissioned to explore the expansion of youth apprenticeships in Maryland. The Committee’s first report, which was released December 2015, serves as a blueprint for a Maryland youth apprenticeship system.

Apprenticeships are a not-so-carefully-kept-secret European countries such as Germany and England have known about for years. The programs in these countries are arguably more tailored to the cultural and educational structures unique to their systems, but their approaches, and the approaches taken throughout the United States, have been studied by the Committee.

Twenty-first century businesses face complex workforce challenges; and these complex challenges demand a new way of thinking about meeting them effectively. The Department is proud to be leading the way in changing Maryland for the better by advancing workforce solutions that benefit Maryland’s workforce and employers, Maryland students and quite likely Maryland’s economy for decades to come.

Related links:

• Youth Apprenticeships: The Creation of Maryland's Youth Employment Pipeline
• Youth Apprenticeship Final Regulations
• Grow Your Business with Apprenticeship Maryland brochure
• Hogan Administration Celebrates Apprenticeship Week
• Recasting American Apprenticeship: A Summary of the Barriers to Apprenticehip Expansion Research Project
• Frederick County Selected for Youth Apprenticeship Pilot Program; Hosting Employer Kickoff March 23 - March 9, 2016
• Maryland Labor Secretary Appoints Grant Shmelzer as Chair of the Youth Apprenticeship Advisory Committee - March 31, 2016

Forms

• Youth Apprenticeship Agreement: Apprenticeship Maryland
• Eligible Employer Application
• Youth Apprenticeship Standards (Word)

For more information, please e-mail DLApprenticeshipMaryland-DLLR@maryland.gov.