Montgomery County joint committees press for rapid expansion of CTE, apprenticeships amid long wait lists

Montgomery County Council’s joint Education and Culture and Economic Development committees convened Dec. 8 to review county progress toward the state ‘blueprint’ for college and career readiness and to press school and college leaders on how to scale career and technical education (CTE) opportunities to meet student demand.

Genevieve Floyd, director of MCPS’s Department of College and Career Readiness, told the committees the blueprint sets an aspirational target for the state: roughly 45 percent of public-school graduates should earn an industry-recognized credential by 2030, with a registered apprenticeship viewed as the “gold standard.” Floyd said the state’s redesign reduces state‑approved programs from 86 to 48 and shifts to a flex model that deems students “concentrators” after two required courses and uses optional third‑ and fourth‑course pathways for deeper career‑connected learning.

Montgomery College officials described applied‑technology hubs and articulation agreements that let MCPS students earn college credit. Noelle Delmuna, Montgomery College’s interim vice president for workforce development and industry partnerships, said the college’s labs and dual‑enrollment arrangements are intended to absorb some overflow when MCPS campus capacity is full.

Anthony Featherstone, executive director of WorkSource Montgomery, outlined MOCO CAP, the county’s career‑advising program for middle and high school students, which he said reaches roughly 87,000 secondary students through a coaching model that uses RIASEC career themes. Featherstone described a three‑tier employer engagement approach ranging from short career‑exposure activities to paid youth apprenticeships.

Council members pressed for concrete targets and asked what the county could do quickly and before the next budget cycle. Officials acknowledged significant capacity constraints: MCPS and Montgomery College said physical space and teaching personnel limit near‑term expansion, and staff proposed short‑term solutions such as adding sections, reallocating underused classroom/lab space and strengthening dual‑enrollment slots at Montgomery College.

Council members and industry partners also raised obstacles to youth apprenticeships. Employer representatives from local construction and automotive firms said they are eager to hire program completers but noted practical barriers for high school apprentices: limits on hiring under‑18 workers in some settings, liability concerns, the need for one‑to‑one mentorship, and the administrative steps required by state apprenticeship approval. Sean Krasta, MCPS supervisor for work‑based learning experiences, said apprenticeship wages are paid by employers and that related instruction must be approved through the Maryland apprenticeship process; startup grant funding has been used at times for early costs.

On data, MCPS staff clarified that 1,042 MCPS students in grades 9–12 earned a certification in 2024–25 but 275 of those were graduating seniors counted toward the blueprint metric; registered apprenticeships numbered 33 in 2024 and 40 in 2025. Staff said classroom‑based industry‑recognized credentials and apprenticeship pathways both count toward the state goal.

Committee chairs asked staff to return in the spring with a concrete, staged plan — short, medium and long term — for increasing seats, employer partners and any budgetary requests. The chair set a follow‑up for spring and adjourned the session.

The committees did not take formal votes at the meeting; requests for additional data and a spring work session were the primary outcomes.