Promise Community College Scholarship for Workforce Training

In 2018, the State passed legislation to offer the Promise Scholarship to students in community colleges. With awards up to $5,000, the Promise Scholarship help students pay for tuition and other mandatory fees. The Promise Scholarship is being offered in the 2019-2020 academic year with an approved budget of $15 million.

However, despite the legislative intent of the bill, this scholarship was not made available to students in non-credit earning programs, including vocational certificate, licensing programs, and apprenticeships. These non-credit programs are vital mechanisms to produce a trained workforce in industries such as education, healthcare, technology, and transportation. Until the passage of SB 260 (Pinsky-D-Prince George’s), students training to join a highly skilled workforce could not benefit from the scholarship.

SB 260 alters these requirements so that students can enroll in a sequence of credit or noncredit courses that lead to licensure or certification, including registered apprenticeships. For example, participants in employer, union, and nonprofit sponsored apprenticeship programs can qualify for this financial aid. Students can apply for financial aid through the Promise Scholarship regardless of the type of education they decide to pursue.

Law Enforcement Cadet Apprenticeship Program

As part of SB 793 (Hayes-D-Baltimore City) authorizing Johns Hopkins University to establish a police department, the legislation creates a competitive grant program for a Law Enforcement Cadet Apprenticeships in law enforcement agencies across the State.

Cadet Apprenticeships will give aspiring law enforcement officers on the job training that will make them uniquely qualified for their future careers. Agencies that employ at least one cadet in communities in which 10% of the population lives below the poverty line are eligible for the grant. With an appropriation of $750,000 a year beginning in 2021, agencies participating in the Cadet Program can be awarded grants of $2,000 per cadet. Expanding the grant program to train more cadets will help aspiring officers fit the needs of police departments across the state.

Clean Energy Jobs and Apprenticeships

SB 516, the Clean Energy Jobs Act (Feldman-D-Montgomery) builds on support for clean energy by setting an ambitious goal of expanding the State’s Renewable Energy Portfolio Standard to 50% by 2030. Maryland will experience rapid growth in the clean energy industry to achieve this goal.

To support the needs of the quickly emerging field, SB 516 creates new pathways into the energy workforce. This legislation provides $14 million for the Maryland Employment Advancement Right Now (EARN) grant program that will support pre-apprenticeship, youth apprenticeship and registered apprenticeship training in the renewable energy sector. $8 million is appropriated for these energy sector job training programs, divided into $1.5 million for pre-apprenticeship jobs training programs and $6.5 million youth and registered apprenticeship jobs training programs. The expansion of the EARN grant program ensures that Marylanders are trained in technical jobs to meet the workforce needs of the clean energy industry.

UMD and UMB Degree Apprenticeships

Under SB 897 (Ferguson-D-Baltimore City), the University of Maryland Joint Steering Council is directed to explore opportunities to create registered apprenticeship programs that integrate high school CTE programs with University of Maryland undergraduate and graduate degree programs. Degree Apprenticeships are registered apprenticeships regulated by DLLR and include college credit and degree attainment as part of their related classroom training. As the State approaches its goal of 45% of high school students graduating with CTE, the newly renamed MPower Council will develop smoother transitions into higher education.

SB 897 identifies nursing as an important field for apprenticeship programs. 1199SEIU has proven how successful nursing apprenticeships can be to help workers advance their careers and increase the numbers of Certified Nurses’ Aides and Patient Care Technicians in the healthcare workforce. In 2018, twenty-five 1199SEIU members who work at the University of Maryland Medical Center’s Midtown Campus in Baltimore, participated in an innovative apprenticeship program that gave them on paid on the job experience.

Baltimore Youth Apprenticeships

Senator Nancy King, Chair of the Senate Budget and Taxation Committee, asked the Baltimore City Mayor’s Office of Employment Development and the Board of School Commissioners to report plans the City has to integrate Youth Apprenticeships into the Baltimore City YouthWorks Summer Jobs program. SB 793 provides an additional $1,000,000 in funding to the YouthWorks program. The report is to be delivered to the Committee at the end of the year.

2020 Budget Promotes more Apprenticeships and more Investment in Skills Training

The $46.6B state budget for fiscal 2020 includes language to prioritize the expansion of a strong workforce.

• $500,000 for the Prince George’s County Workforce Development Board. (As of July 9th, 2019, the Governor has not released these funds.)

• $500,000 for the Anne Arundel County Workforce Development Corporation YouthWorks program (As of July 9th, 2019, the Governor has not released these funds.)

• $250,000 of the DLLR appropriation may not be expended until DLLR submits a report to the budget committees on the progress of implementing HB 467 from 2017. This policy requires that each contractor awarded a contract for at least $500,000 for a capital construction project of at least $1,000,000 be affiliated with a registered apprenticeship program and use apprentices in each covered craft that is used; make payments to the State Apprenticeship Training Fund (SATF); or make payments directly to a registered apprenticeship program. This report is due October 1st, 2019.

• The Joint Chairman’s Report includes a request to DBM and DLLR for a report providing information on opportunities to create registered apprenticeship programs to address State government workforce shortages.

Career Youth and Public Sector Apprenticeship Act (HB1234)

HB1234 authorizes a county board of education to award credit to a high school student toward a high school diploma or a postsecondary credential, or both, for work-based training or classroom instruction completed under a registered apprenticeship program. This bill also authorizes a county board to count time an apprentice or youth apprentices spends during certain work-based training towards the student’s attendance. HB1234 requires the Division of Workforce Development and Adult Learning to partner with certain State departments to create registered apprenticeship programs to address workforce shortages.

Career Preparation Expansion Act (SB978/HB1216)

SB978 & HB1216 authorize a student or a student’s parent or guardian to release the student’s Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB) scores to apprenticeship programs and certain employers. This legislation also authorizes the State Department of Education to adopt regulations requiring the award of credit toward high school graduation for time spent in certain apprenticeship registered or youth apprenticeship programs, and authorizes a Workforce Development Sequence Scholarship to be used for costs to participate in certain apprenticeship programs.

Community Colleges – Near Completers and Maryland Community College Promise Scholarships (HB16)

HB16 requires the Governor to include $125,000 in the State budget (beginning in 2020 and extending through 2024) for the Maryland Higher Education Commission to establish a near completer communication campaign and match program. The purpose of this program is to provide tuition assistance for students to attend a community college in the state. Applicants are eligible for a Maryland Community College Promise Scholarship if the applicants is eligible for in-State tuition; enrolls as a candidate for a vocational certificate, certificate, or Associate’s Degree; has earned a high school grade point average of at least a 2.3; enrolls in at least 12 credits per semester, and meets the annual adjusted gross income requirements. Scholarship recipients are eligible to receive up to $5,000 annually, or actual tuition, whichever is less.

Education – Commission on Innovation and Excellence in Education (HB1415)

HB1415 establishes a Commission on Innovation and Excellence in Education Fund to assist in providing adequate funding for early childhood, primary, and secondary education in the State. An important provision mandates funding for the Career and Technology Improvement Grant Program. MSDE is required to administer this program to fund partnerships that are between at least one local board of education, community college, and industry partner to develop and implement an innovative CTE pathway of high quality, that is aligned with skills needed by employers, that will lead to an industry-recognized license or certificate, that creates internship or apprenticeship opportunities, and that prepares students to successfully complete in a global economy. The Governor must appropriate at least $2.0 million annually for the grant program, with up to 3% allocated for use by MSDE to administer the program.

Fostering Employment Act of 2018 (SB 308/HB431)

The Fostering Employment Act of 2018 establishes the Fostering Employment Program to provide employment opportunities for certain foster care recipients and unaccompanied homeless youth through training leading to certain credentials, including: an educational diploma, certificate or degree, occupational license, apprenticeship certificate, industry-recognized certification, or award for skills attainment and completion. Recipients will have an opportunity to obtain these credentials through a registered apprenticeship program or job readiness training.

Higher Education – Maryland Technology Internship Program – Alterations (HB527)

HB527 alters the Maryland Technology Internship Program to include certain technology-based internships with units of State and local governments; creates a website to provide information regarding certain recruitment and training opportunities; alters the tracked and assessed Program outcomes; and authorizes the use of certain awards to reimburse businesses or units of State or local government for a percentage of the amount paid to an intern (up to 50% of the stipend and up to $3,000 annually). The Governor’s proposed fiscal 2019 budget includes $340,000 in general funds for the program, with over half allocated towards administrative costs. To qualify for participation in the Program, a business must be located in the State, be a technology-based business, commit to hosting an intern for a minimum of 120 hours, provide a detailed description of the position, and provide proof that a representative has attended an orientation or training program provided or approved by UMBC. A unit of State or local government must commit to hosting an intern for a minimum of 120 hours, provide a detailed description of the position, and provide proof that a representative has attended an orientation or training program provided or approved by UMBC.

Public Health – Community Health Workers – Advisory Committee and Certification (HB490)

HB490 establishes the State Community Health Worker Advisory Committee, which will devise the Maryland Department of Health on certain matters relating to the certification and training of community health workers. HB 490 also requires the Department to adopt certain regulations for accrediting certified community health worker training programs, allowing for certain apprenticeship programs to be accredited by the Department.

Public Safety – Elevator Inspections – Testing and Apprenticeship Program (HB 1107/CH337)

HB1107 requires that certain tests on elevator units, in connection with inspection, are performed by a licensed elevator mechanic; requires a third-party qualified elevator inspector to by physically present during these tests in their entirety; requires, beginning on a certain date, the presence of a third-party qualified elevator inspector instead of a State inspector to witness inspections; and requires the Commissioner of Labor and Industry to adopt certain regulations. This bill also requires the Department of Labor, Licensing, and Regulation to establish and administer an apprenticeship program for third-party qualified elevator inspectors, effective October 1, 2018.