Governor Wes Moore on Friday released $4 million in the second round of funding for Maryland’s Road to Careers program, a six-year effort to train more than 1,200 residents for transportation and construction jobs amid rising infrastructure demands across the state.
The allocation, part of a $24 million total commitment launched in 2024 by the Maryland Department of Labor and the Maryland Department of Transportation, targets pre-apprenticeship and registered apprenticeship programs. These initiatives pair technical skills training with support services like transportation assistance, childcare and mental health resources to help participants overcome barriers to employment.
“Through Road to Careers, we’re creating more opportunities for Marylanders to access good jobs in high-demand careers, while supporting critical state infrastructure projects,” Moore said. The program emphasizes equity, prioritizing low-income individuals, those with justice system involvement and English language learners who often face systemic hurdles in entering skilled trades.
Maryland Department of Labor Secretary Portia Wu described the approach as transformative. “Road to Careers is a game changer for hardworking Marylanders who are seeking greater opportunity,” Wu said. “Pairing training with childcare and transportation supports will enable more Marylanders to move into good, family-sustaining jobs.”
The funding addresses a persistent shortage in the state’s construction sector, where projects such as highway expansions along Interstate 495 and bridge rehabilitations on the Chesapeake Bay Bridge require welders, equipment operators and other specialists. Maryland’s Consolidated Transportation Program for fiscal 2026-2030 allocates $18.5 billion for such work, including $2.1 billion for highway maintenance and $1.2 billion for transit improvements, underscoring the need for a robust workforce pipeline.
Maryland Department of Transportation Acting Secretary Samantha J. Biddle highlighted the dual benefits. “The Road to Careers program is helping us meet critical workforce needs in transportation — strengthening our infrastructure while creating real economic opportunities for people across the state,” Biddle said. “It’s a win for our infrastructure and for our communities.”
Grants will go to eligible organizations through a competitive process, with awards up to $500,000 each over 36 months. Successful applicants must align training with industry standards and offer holistic guidance from enrollment to job retention. Local workforce development boards, nonprofits, labor unions, community colleges and training providers qualify to apply.
Applications close January 23, 2026, at 11:59 p.m., with recipients selected by April 2026. A pre-proposal conference occurs November 3, 2025, at 2 p.m.; RSVPs go to road2.careers@maryland.gov. Full details and forms appear at labor.maryland.gov/employment/roadtocareers.shtml.
The first round, awarded in June 2025, distributed $4 million to eight organizations statewide, training about 1,200 participants in roles paying median wages from $45,000 to $65,000 annually. Among recipients, the College of Southern Maryland received sub-awards alongside the Tri-County Council for Southern Maryland, which secured $500,000 to develop integrated education and training for GED and English as a second language students in trades like welding and heavy equipment operation.
In Southern Maryland, these efforts support regional growth tied to federal commuting patterns and port expansions at the Helen Delich Whitney National Harbor. The Tri-County Council, serving Calvert, Charles and St. Mary’s counties, focuses on apprenticeships that address local barriers, such as rural transit gaps, while the College of Southern Maryland’s La Plata campus hosts hands-on programs drawing from a student body of about 20,000, many from working-class backgrounds.
Such apprenticeships, registered with the U.S. Department of Labor, typically last one to four years and combine 2,000 hours of on-the-job training with 144 hours of classroom instruction per year. Completion rates exceed 80 percent when wraparound services are included, compared to 50 percent without, according to federal data. In Maryland, the model has placed graduates on projects like the $1.8 billion Purple Line light rail extension and coastal resiliency upgrades in low-lying areas.
The program’s federal roots trace to the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021, which funneled billions to states for workforce development. Maryland’s version builds on prior efforts, like the 2022 Melwood partnership with the College of Southern Maryland, which trained individuals with disabilities in construction basics. By 2025, state labor reports showed 15,000 unfilled construction positions, with Southern Maryland facing acute shortages due to 5 percent annual job growth in trades.
For Southern Maryland residents, the initiative opens doors in a region where manufacturing and logistics employ 12 percent of the workforce, per 2024 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics figures. Organizations like the Tri-County Council integrate training with local employers, such as those handling U.S. Route 301 widenings in Charles County, ensuring placements within 50 miles of participants’ homes.
Equity remains central: Grants require at least 70 percent of slots for underserved groups, aligning with Moore’s 2023 executive order on inclusive economic growth. Early outcomes from the first round show 60 percent female and 40 percent minority participation rates, surpassing state averages.
As applications open, officials urge prompt submission to capitalize on upcoming fiscal cycles. The program’s six-year arc positions Maryland to sustain infrastructure gains through 2030, when an estimated 25,000 new construction jobs will emerge statewide.
