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CCBC proposes $931,000 workforce program to train 150 Baltimore County residents
Summary
The Community College of Baltimore County told the Community Reinvestment and Repair Commission it can deliver a braided‑fund workforce program for 150 residents, emphasizing wraparound case management, 5 cohort trainings and braided Pell/WIOA funding; CCBC estimates costs at about $931,000 and a three‑to‑six‑month rollout.
The Community College of Baltimore County on Thursday detailed a workforce‑development proposal to the Community Reinvestment and Repair Commission that would use CRF dollars alongside Pell and WIOA funds to train up to 150 Baltimore County residents.
Matthew Bernardi, CCBC’s assistant dean of workforce and literacy, and Laura Finazo, director of Workforce Solutions, said the proposal centers on a holistic “full life‑cycle” approach: targeted outreach, online screening, information and assessment sessions, workshops and individual interviews, followed by training with dedicated case managers, job developers, and wraparound supports such as transportation, textbooks and exam fees. “Students will build a customized plan with a case manager,” Finazo said, describing intake steps that screen for eligibility and barriers such as child care or transportation.
CCBC proposed five cohort trainings—HVAC, administrative professional, pharmacy technician, medical front‑office and Class A CDL—alongside longer, Pell‑eligible programs that would be braided with federal aid to stretch county funds. The college said cohorts improve administrative efficiency and participant outcomes and noted flexibility to modify programs to local demand.
The proposal sets performance targets the presenters called “standard” in workforce work: at least 70% program completion, 70% of completers earning the credential associated with the program, 75% employment in the trained field within six months, and 80% of those employed retained at one year. CCBC pledged quarterly reporting and success stories to document outcomes.
On costs, CCBC estimated $931,000 to serve 150 students: recruitment, intake, case management, support services, cohort technical training and an open‑enrollment pot for students seeking programs outside the cohort list. The presenters said average costs per technical training student vary by program; cohort technical training averages were included in CCBC’s slide set.
Bernardi said the college can typically begin outreach materials in about three months after approval and expects roughly six months from contract signing to the first class delivery. Tracy Tyler of DUDE (partner workforce agency) told commissioners her organization could also use WIOA funds to augment eligible training slots, strengthening the braided model.
Several commissioners praised CCBC’s experience and wraparound model. Louise (county staff) and others asked about billing and line‑item budgets; CCBC replied invoices will show per‑student tuition and fees and that program billing aligns to public tuition rates.
The commission agreed to place the CCBC proposal into the review timeline: staff will present scoring results after the April 1 deadline, subcommittees will conduct deeper reviews between April 16 and April 23, and recommendations will be presented at the April 23 mini‑session before submission to the Chief Administrative Officer for final approval.
The college’s proposal and the commission’s review process are expected to determine whether the program receives CRF dollars and, if approved, how county and federal funds will be braided to expand capacity.
