Governor Wes Moore announced four million dollars in Road to Careers awards to expand Marylanders access to workforce training across the states transportation and construction industries. A partnership of the Maryland Department of Labor and the Maryland Department of Transportation this investment will help train nearly four hundred Marylanders for high demand family sustaining careers. Through awards announced today the program anticipates that three hundred forty Marylanders will earn industry recognized credentials and two hundred fifty will secure new employment.
This program is about more than skills training alone its also about a commitment to creating clear pathways to work wages and wealth in growing industries like transportation and construction said Gov. Moore. In Maryland we will continue tackling transformational infrastructure projects across our state because we are investing in the people who build them.
The Road to Careers program is a six year twenty four million dollar investment designed to strengthen Marylands talent pipeline for transportation and construction jobs by expanding access to pre apprenticeship and registered apprenticeship opportunities. To support successful training completion and sustained employment grantees provide comprehensive wraparound services including transportation assistance childcare support and access to mental health resources for participants.
Together we are expanding access to opportunity in Maryland while growing Marylands critical infrastructure and helping employers gain the skilled workforce they need said Maryland Department of Labor Secretary Portia Wu.
Maryland has a great need for skilled workers to work on the transformational transportation projects happening across the state said Maryland Department of Transportation Secretary Katie Thomson. Thanks to Governor Moores leadership and Secretary Wus partnership this latest round of grants will support training more Marylanders and providing a path to family supporting jobs.
Southern Maryland residents will directly benefit from the funding. The Southern Maryland Tri County Community Action Committee Inc. serving Charles Calvert and St. Marys counties is one of the selected grantees. The committee will use the resources to deliver essential supportive services equipment and hands on training that help local apprentices succeed in construction transportation and related trades.
This latest round builds on recent successes in Southern Maryland. In early April two thousand twenty six six students at the College of Southern Maryland completed the first cohort of an integrated education and training program under the Road to Careers grant earning construction certificates that open doors to skilled positions. The Southern Maryland Tri County Community Action Committee also operates established programs such as commercial drivers license training preparing residents for immediate career entry in transportation fields.
The grantees for this investment round include the Anne Arundel Workforce Development Corporation the B and O Railroad Museum Baltimores Promise II Inc. the Community College of Baltimore County Living Classrooms Foundation Operating Engineers Local Thirty Seven Training School Project JumpStart Inc. and the Southern Maryland Tri County Community Action Committee Inc.
We are honored to receive these funds which will provide essential supportive services equipment and hands on training resources that help our apprentices succeed said Operating Engineers Local Thirty Seven Apprentice Training Fund LLC Training Director Michael Funk. With this investment we can equip Marylanders with the tools credentials and real world experience needed to complete major infrastructure projects like the Frederick Douglass Tunnel and to build lasting family supporting careers.
For Southern Maryland families the awards create tangible local opportunities amid ongoing regional growth. Residents in St. Marys Calvert and Charles counties can access training close to home without long commutes while gaining skills for family sustaining wages in high demand fields. The wraparound services address common barriers such as childcare and transportation making participation realistic for working parents and those reentering the workforce.
The initiative aligns with broader efforts to prepare Southern Maryland for infrastructure demands including road improvements bridge work and support for defense related projects at facilities like Naval Air Station Patuxent River. By investing in local talent the program helps reduce workforce shortages and boosts economic stability across the tri county area.
Southern Marylanders interested in the opportunities can contact the Southern Maryland Tri County Community Action Committee for details on upcoming training sessions. The funding ensures that more residents gain the credentials and experience needed to thrive in construction and transportation careers that support community development and long term prosperity.
For more information about Road to Careers visit labor.maryland.gov/employment/roadtocareers.shtml.
