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Contractor urges continued Montgomery College funding, cites workforce pipeline
Summary
A local construction firm praised Montgomery College's training programs and asked the council to continue support for the college’s capital request, citing successful apprenticeship pipelines and national‑level student success.
Aaron Shapiro, business development manager for local contractor Shapiro & Duncan, told the Montgomery County Council that Montgomery College is an essential workforce partner for the construction industry and urged continued county support for the college’s capital request.
Shapiro said his company, a three‑generation Rockville‑based mechanical contractor with more than 360 employees, relies on Montgomery College programs for apprenticeships and certificate training. He noted the nationwide shortage of construction workers — “the total number of job openings in the construction industry has surpassed 500,000” and “in the next 5 to 10 years, over 40% of the current workforce is set to retire” — and argued Montgomery College helps prepare local talent who often stay in the county. He pointed to Montgomery College students competing in a national project management competition as an example of the college’s quality.
Shapiro asked the council to continue support for Montgomery College’s budget request so the institution can keep supplying trained workers to local employers. No formal council action was recorded in the hearing transcript.
