College of Southern Maryland (CSM) President Dr. Maureen Murphy welcomed Maryland Governor Larry Hogan to the Center for Trades and Energy Training (CTET) at CSM’s Regional Hughesville Campus last week for a tour and discussion about CSM’s expanded programs tailored specifically for carpentry, construction and energy trades. The two were joined by numerous college leaders and a class of students who were attending a U.S. Department of Labor Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) course for their places of employment.
“We were thrilled to spend a few hours with Governor Hogan and explain how CSM plays a significant role in shaping the local economy by educating and training the future workforce and enriching the lives of Southern Maryland residents,” said Murphy. “The Center for Trades and Energy Training provides residents direct access to specialized training in career fields that have substantial growth potential, including HVAC, plumbing, electrical, carpentry, welding, and environmental trades.
“For me, personally, it’s the first time a governor has come to one of my campuses,” she added. “He didn’t come to make an announcement. He came because he supports community colleges and that is very meaningful. It was a great way to get our message out about the affordable, superior programs and training we provide for our region, and beyond.”
“It is great to join students, faculty and staff for a tour of the Center for Trades and Energy Training at the College of Southern Maryland Hughesville campus,” Hogan said during the visit. “We are incredibly excited that our Maryland Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation’s nationally recognized EARN Program will be working with the college and the Construction Workforce Partnership for Southern Maryland to ensure our students have the skills they need to enter the workforce.”
EARN Maryland is a state-funded, competitive workforce development grant program that is industry-led, regional in focus, and a proven strategy for helping businesses cultivate the skilled workforce needed to compete. EARN Maryland invests in strategic industry partnerships from key economic sectors in every region. The partnerships use the power of coordination across education, workforce and economic development initiatives to address the multiple needs of each company, starting with the training of skilled workers.
Student Sean Winn, of Richmond, Virginia, said he “was caught a little off-guard by the informal, but genuine visit” from the governor and college officials. He was one of the several students attending the OSHA class who met with the governor and Murphy during a class break. Winn, a retired Army veteran who served three tours in Iraq, works for the Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission (WSSC). He shared that while he and the governor’s conversation started off about Winn’s job at WSSC, it took a quick turn to the governor’s commitment to keeping veterans employed.
“It was really cool being here at the College of Southern Maryland as a retired war veteran and receiving so much respect from the governor of Maryland and the college president for not only my service, but also for my commitment to continued education,” Winn shared. “I am very committed to veterans, and I could tell they are, too.”
During the visit, the governor and attendees toured the 30,000-square-foot CTET that houses state-of-the-art welding, carpentry, electrical, plumbing, CAD and HVAC labs. They also received a briefing on the planned expansion of the Regional Hughesville Campus. Design for the second phase of the campus – a Center for Health Sciences – is expected to be completed next spring with construction projected to being in June 2019.
Hogan also congratulated CSM for celebrating its 60th anniversary which falls on Sept. 17. “I just want to thank everyone for the great work you are doing here and for all students at the College of Southern Maryland,” he shared.
For more information about the Center for Trades and Energy Training, visit https://www.csmd.edu/about/locations/center-for-trades-and-energy-training/
For more information about the Regional Hughesville Campus, visit https://www.csmd.edu/about/locations/regional-campus/
Photos from the visit are at https://csmphoto.zenfolio.com/hogantourctet.