Governor Larry Hogan, UMBC Training Centers Announce New Cyber Apprenticeship Program

Will Bridge Apprenticeship And College Degree Through Simultaneous Training And Classroom Instruction

ANNAPOLIS, MD – Governor Larry Hogan, the Maryland Department of Labor, and UMBC Training Centers today announced a new registered apprenticeship program that will bridge the gap between apprenticeship and a college education. The new model will allow apprentices to earn semester credit toward specific bachelor’s degree programs, while simultaneously receiving the benefits of a traditional apprenticeship. The governor will unveil the new program in an address to the Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) apprenticeship graduation ceremony at the UMBC Retriever Center on Thursday.

“Our administration is committed to expanding opportunities and building lasting career pathways for our citizens,” said Governor Hogan. “This innovative apprenticeship program breaks the mold by allowing participants to earn semester credits towards degree programs, while also receiving the on-the-job training and classroom instruction of a traditional apprenticeship.”

The program will train apprentices to be certified cyber analyst/operators, a new occupation for the Maryland Apprenticeship and Training Program and an example of the program’s growing appeal to non-traditional industries.

“With innovative programs like this one, Marylanders no longer have to choose between apprenticeships or college,” said Labor Secretary Kelly Schulz. “This program creates a new and accelerated career path for Marylanders seeking on-the-job experience and industry certified credentials in cyber and IT. It also gives flexibility to apply the apprenticeship toward a two or four-year college degree.”

For participants seeking to obtain a bachelor’s degree, the formal training component of the registered apprenticeship program has been approved by the American Council on Education’s (ACE) College Credit Recommendation Service for up to 25 semester hours in information systems or computer science at the baccalaureate level. Additionally, all apprentices will complete the program with five industry-recognized certifications and certificates from UMBC Training Centers in Cyber Foundations, Cybersecurity, and Cyber Operations.

This competency-based program is the first non-traditional registered apprenticeship program to be sponsored by a University System of Maryland (USM) institution and is expected to serve as a pilot with potential to be replicated throughout USM universities.

“Cybersecurity is one of the fastest-growing job fields in Maryland and across the nation,” said USM Chancellor Robert Caret. “Even for entry-level cybersecurity positions, however, employers increasingly require several years of hands-on work experience. This new cyber apprenticeship program at the UMBC Training Centers builds on USM’s growing efforts to provide graduates with both the degree and the applied work background they need to win and flourish in their first job out of college. It also establishes a means for the prospective USM student to succeed in this valuable, strategic industry.”

“We are very proud to have a registered apprentice program in cyber” said Kent Malwitz, President of UMBC Training Centers. “This program will help Marylanders develop the competencies and the credentials to take advantage of the incredible career opportunities in the region. It will also provide employers with new talent, which they desperately need.”

Since the beginning of the Hogan administration, the number of registered apprentices has grown by nearly 20 percent. Today, approximately 9,600 apprentices are learning and earning throughout Maryland. In 2017, a total of 15 new registered apprenticeship programs were created and seven were re-activated, resulting in a record year for the program.

Apprenticeships are full-time careers that include on-the-job training and classroom instruction, allowing apprentices to earn while they learn. Anyone 18 or older can be a registered apprentice, and high school students can pursue youth apprenticeships. Businesses and job seekers interested in apprenticeships are invited to contact info@mdapprenticeship.comor call 410-767-2246.