FCPS CTE staff report gains in industry-recognized credentials and apprenticeships, outline implementation steps

Frederick County Public Schools CTE staff reported at a district meeting that the system is increasing the number of graduates earning industry-recognized credentials and expanding apprenticeship and career-coach supports to meet state targets.

CTE staff said the district awarded 2,038 certifications to the most recent graduating cohort, with 1,606 seniors graduating with at least one industry-recognized credential (IRC), a rise of 242 seniors and roughly 501 additional certifications compared with the prior year. The district reported that 28% of SY25 graduates held at least one IRC, up from 22% the previous year, and that 68% of seniors met “concentrator” or “completer” status by completing required course sequences in a pathway.

Why it matters: Maryland’s Blueprint for Maryland’s Future sets a statewide quality metric that Frederick County must track: an increasing share of graduates earning an IRC or completing a registered apprenticeship. CTE staff described steps they say will increase access to credentials, work-based learning and earlier career exposure so students can meet the state metric ahead of the deadline.

CTE programming and credentials: Corbin Zumaker (CTE staff) said FCPS currently lists 45 high-school CTE programs, three middle-school pathways and more than 20 programs at the Career & Technology Center (CTC). Zumaker said FCPS currently offers more than 108 opportunities for students to earn approved IRCs across programs and that this year the district added multiple new certifications, including certifications tied to agriculture/conservation, entrepreneurship and small business, crime scene investigation under a Homeland Security program at CTC, FAA Part 107 drone pilot coursework, QuickBooks in advanced accounting, and Six Sigma in business classes. Zumaker said FCPS also works with Frederick Community College (FCC) to align dual‑enrollment courses with comparable IRCs when possible.

Apprenticeships and work-based learning: Zumaker and staff described apprenticeship as the highest level of work-based learning. They said youth apprenticeships require approximately 450 hours of on-the-job experience and that the state is shifting expectations toward registered apprenticeships. The district reported 56 (previous year) and 65 (current year) students completing youth apprenticeship programs in recent years and said registered apprenticeships carry different Department of Labor requirements.

Funding and employer role: CTE staff said apprenticeship expansion relies heavily on employer partners. District staff described a workforce-services grant of $175,000 that can subsidize roughly half an employer’s wage costs for around 50 students to encourage employer participation. Zumaker noted that employer capacity and economic conditions affect the number of paid placements available.

Career coaches and early exposure: Laura Brown, career coach coordinator, said the district’s Career Coach Program has 22 coaches who serve all middle and high schools, charter schools, and partner sites and that the program is funded through 2028 under current legislation. Brown said the coaches have increased one-on-one and group career conversations, arranged industry guest speakers and field trips, and supported higher participation in apprenticeship summit events, CTC shadowing and senior career fairs. Brown emphasized coaches help students understand IRCs and how credentials translate to workforce value rather than assuming students know the meaning of the acronym.

Policy and program timing: Zumaker said MSDE (Maryland State Department of Education) is updating CTE program structures from a rigid three/four-course model to a more flexible model that will allow the first two required courses to be consistent while offering multiple third- and optional fourth-course options (including a single course, dual enrollment, or career-connected learning). The district expects implementation of that “flex” model to begin in the 2027–28 school year. Zumaker also said the Blueprint’s metric goal is to reach 45% of graduates with an IRC or registered apprenticeship by 02/2031.

What staff want next: District staff said they will continue to expand IRC offerings (including within visual and performing arts), convert youth apprenticeship slots to registered apprenticeships when feasible, grow employer partnerships, and use career coaches to reach students earlier in middle school so more students enter high-school pathways prepared.

Meeting context and limitations: Staff emphasized that employer payment capacity constrains apprenticeship placements and that details of the state’s shift from youth to registered apprenticeships are controlled by federal/state Department of Labor rules. Several numerical items in staff remarks contained minor inconsistencies in real-time comments (for example, presenters said “seven” and “eight” new certifications in the same turn); this article reports the district’s consolidated figures as presented. No formal board vote or motion related to CTE program changes was recorded during the session.