Howard County Government Joint Apprenticeship Program

About the Program

Category: Personnel Management, Employment and Training (Best in Category)

Year: 2022

Howard County prides itself as a preferred workplace and forward-thinking organization. We have implemented innovative solutions to address challenges faced by many public employers in competing for highly skilled employees. Recently, we became the first County in Maryland to implement a comprehensive Apprentice Program as an innovative and cost-effective approach to: • Attracting and retaining individuals for hard to fill skilled trades professions. • Assisting County operations in meeting critical needs and succession planning. • Providing enhanced career opportunities to the labor force. • Investing in the future of employees by providing upward mobility, employee development, and career enhancement. The Program, which was launched through a partnership with our Trades Unions, has been very successful. The team jointly developed recruitment strategies to attract a diverse pool of applicants, developed onsite mentoring, and identified State certified training institutions to provide technical classroom curriculum to ensure the success of apprentices. Beyond its success within the County, the Program achieved certification from the Maryland Apprenticeship and Training Council (MATC), Department of Labor. The Program has also garnered highly coveted recognition from the State of Maryland. This past winter, the County was awarded a Certificate of Notable Contributions to the State’s Registered Apprenticeship System and the Maryland economy.