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Maryland expands apprenticeship pipeline after $12.2 million Maryland Works investment
Summary
MSDE told the State Board of Education that a $12.2 million Maryland Works grant portfolio catalyzed youth apprenticeships, produced public playbooks and led the agency to propose a statewide “core + flex” career‑connected learning system that preserves registered apprenticeship as the gold standard while giving schools flexibility to use internships, dual enrollment and school‑based enterprises.
MSDE said a $12.2 million investment known as Maryland Works resulted in new apprenticeship activity and produced a statewide playbook series MSDE staff say will be used to scale career‑connected learning across Maryland.
Tracy (MSDE staff) told the State Board of Education on Nov. 5 that Maryland Works funded a portfolio of grants to local education agencies and intermediaries and that MSDE is now proposing a “core + flex” model for career‑connected learning that gives students multiple on‑ramps to work experience — including registered apprenticeships, youth apprenticeships, internships, dual enrollment and school‑based enterprises.
The core + flex model calls for foundational CTE coursework followed by flexible, locally‑determined options in grades 11–12 that can include related instruction for apprenticeships, industry credentials, dual enrollment or on‑the‑job experiences. "The registered apprenticeship continues to be the gold standard," MSDE staff said, but the model intentionally allows smaller employers and schools to engage through internships or capstones.
MSDE reported outcomes from the grant period — a 17‑month effort that included seven strategy‑1 grants (local plans) and two intermediary grants — and said the program also produced operational artifacts (contracts, trackers, communication templates) published as a “Maryland Works playbook” online. Among MSDE’s findings: apprentices who participated reported high satisfaction; employers who hired apprentices indicated willingness to hire again; and intermediary partners developed new sector curricula (MSDE cited a finance apprenticeship developed with AICPA and a data‑science pilot in Howard County).
MSDE acknowledged challenges that must be addressed to scale the model statewide, including peripheral costs (background checks, equipment) and transportation barriers that limit eligibility for some students. MSDE and grantees said many employers were willing to mentor apprentices but raised concerns about mentors’ time and the need to coordinate professional development for teacher‑mentors.
MSDE said the Maryland Works investment changed the agency’s grant practice: instead of collecting final reports after grant closeout, staff monitored grantees quarterly, adjusted supports, and shared lessons across districts. The playbooks document that work and include a transparent breakdown of how grantees used funds. MSDE staff said the department will continue technical assistance, communities of practice and supports as it proposes rolling the program into a statewide career‑connected learning system.
MSDE staff asked the board to note the lessons from Maryland Works as it moves to implement the recommended course standards and to support local flexibility while providing a common set of options and expectations for students and employers.
Ending: MSDE plans to use the Maryland Works playbooks and the core + flex model to guide statewide implementation. The work is explicitly designed to preserve registered apprenticeship as the highest‑quality pathway while letting more flexible options provide equitable access for students and smaller employers.
