Maryland Launches $5 Million Program to Bolster Apprenticeship Workforce

Governor Wes Moore has announced the initiation of the Maryland Apprenticeship Incentive Program, a significant new $5 million initiative aimed at assisting employers, including small businesses, in hiring and training registered apprentices. This program represents a key component of Governor Moore’s broader strategy to expand the state’s workforce and create economic opportunities for Maryland residents through structured apprenticeship programs. The initiative is designed to remove financial hurdles for employers, thereby fostering pathways to employment, competitive wages, and wealth accumulation for individuals participating in these programs.

The Maryland Apprenticeship Incentive Program is a direct outcome of the governor’s Registered Apprenticeship Investment for a Stronger Economy (RAISE) Act of 2025. This legislation, enacted by Governor Moore last year, allocates $5 million for the fiscal year 2026. Under this program, eligible apprenticeship sponsors and employers can receive financial support, with awards of up to $3,000 for each adult registered apprentice and up to $7,500 for each high school-age registered apprentice. This funding is intended to directly address various employer costs associated with apprenticeship programs. These costs can encompass instructional expenses such as tuition and educational materials, expenses related to recruitment like marketing and advertising, and supportive services crucial for apprentice success, such as assistance with transportation and the acquisition of necessary equipment. By mitigating these financial burdens, the program aims to encourage broader employer participation in the governor’s vision for workforce development.

To qualify for the program, employers must submit applications within a 30-day window either before or after an apprentice’s initial registration with the Office of Apprenticeship. Furthermore, the apprentices themselves must be within their first year of employment as a registered apprentice. A critical requirement for receiving reimbursement is that the apprentices must remain employed and registered for a minimum of seven months following the submission of the employer’s application.

This new program launch follows the administration’s successful fulfillment of the Governor’s Apprenticeship Pledge. This pledge involved engaging 500 employers in registered apprenticeship programs, with a specific target of at least five additional public agencies. Governor Moore announced the achievement of this pledge last month, reporting that the state had partnered with over 500 employers to recruit and hire more than 5,200 new registered apprentices. This indicates a strong embrace of the apprenticeship model by businesses across Maryland as a means of workforce growth. Currently, more than 1,000 Maryland businesses, organizations, and agencies are actively employing and training registered apprentices. Last year alone, 14,000 Marylanders participated in apprenticeship programs, marking an all-time high for the state.

Illustrative examples of successful apprenticeship initiatives within Maryland include the Maryland Department of Health’s launch of the nation’s first environmental health specialist apprenticeship program. This program, developed in collaboration with the Maryland Professional Employees Council and Morgan State University, provides participants with invaluable real-world experience in public health. Additionally, the Maryland State Department of Education and the Maryland State Education Association introduced the first statewide teacher registered apprenticeship program last year. This program is designed to assist all 24 school districts in Maryland with recruiting, training, and retaining future educators by offering a paid pathway into teaching careers, thereby reducing the out-of-pocket expenses associated with earning degrees and licenses.

The program is designed to ensure that financial considerations do not impede an employer’s ability to expand their workforce or an individual’s opportunity to start a new career. The Office of Apprenticeship Director has emphasized that employers who offer registered apprenticeships are making a valuable investment in their employees and their organizations, an investment that yields long-term benefits. The goal of this new incentive program is to enable companies of all sizes to develop the workforce they require by drawing upon talent available within their local communities.

Interested parties seeking more information about the Maryland Apprenticeship Incentive Program can visit labor.maryland.gov. Registered apprenticeship sponsors and employers with specific questions are encouraged to contact info@mdapprenticeship.com.

Article by Mel Anara, based upon information from the Office of Governor Wes Moore

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