LA PLATA — The College of Southern Maryland will receive $100,000 over four years as one of nine Maryland schools sharing a $2.38 million federal grant to connect rural students with careers.
The money funds the Maryland Rural Pathways to Prosperity Network, which will provide personal advising, job training and hands-on work experience, with links to internships and jobs. Target fields include aerospace, cybersecurity, education, health care, high-tech agriculture and quantum technology.
The grant adds to CSM’s push to tie classes to local hiring. This week the Chronicle reported on CSM trades students finding work as construction jobs grow.
Where the money goes
CSM’s share is $25,000 a year for four years, for job training and employer engagement, according to the Maryland Higher Education Commission, as reported by The Baltimore Sun. The college announced its participation on its news page.
St. Mary’s College of Maryland is also in the network, giving Southern Maryland two of the nine schools. The others are Allegany College of Maryland, Carroll Community College, Cecil College, Garrett College, Harford Community College, the University of Maryland Eastern Shore and Wor-Wic Community College.
The U.S. Department of Labor administers the grant on behalf of the U.S. Department of Education, using money from the federal spending law signed in February. It was issued in late September and runs through Sept. 30, 2030. The state says it comes at no cost to Maryland taxpayers.
Beyond the schools’ shares, about $240,000 is set aside to track job placement and wage growth, with the rest covering operations, staff, curriculum design and sharing research. Results will be tracked through the Maryland Longitudinal Data System. The initial goal is to serve 1,000 students statewide.
Matching local demand
Several of the target fields match Southern Maryland’s largest employers, from Naval Air Station Patuxent River’s aerospace work to cybersecurity jobs tied to defense contractors. A regional study presented this month found a gap between cleared defense jobs and qualified candidates.
Gov. Wes Moore announced the funding with the Higher Education Commission. Interim Higher Education Secretary Elena Quiroz-Livanis said the commission is working directly with rural colleges and universities so local learners can gain training and industry connections.
The state has made other workforce investments this year, including a $5.2 million job training push in April. CSM did not say in its announcement which programs or how many of its students will take part.
