HCPSS Celebrates Electrician Apprenticeship Program 2018 Graduation

June 8th, 2018

The Howard County Public School System (HCPSS) celebrated the first cohort of graduates of the Independent Electrical Contractors Pre-Apprenticeship Student Pathways program at a recent graduation ceremony. This program is the only opportunity of its kind in the state and provided 200 hours of hands-on training and classroom instruction in electrical trades to prepare students to take the next step towards a Registered Apprenticeship program and working in the industry.

This year, the program provided pre-apprenticeships for 12 students from Hammond, Homewood, Long Reach, Marriotts Ridge and Reservoir high schools. They all will begin working in the field as apprentice electricians and will attend classes as a part of the Registered Apprenticeship program.

Participating students spent part of their time in the program learning from certified electricians in a classroom environment while gaining valuable industry knowledge, OSHA 10 certification, and direct entry to the Independent Electrical Contractors Registered Apprenticeship program. Students received a weekly stipend and necessary industry tools. They will begin employment at local electrical companies upon completion of their coursework.

There is currently a shortage of qualified electricians nationally. This student pathway offers youth an opportunity to prepare for a prosperous career while still in high school.

The HCPSS Career and Technology Education (CTE) Office partnered with the Maryland Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation; Independent Electrical Contractors; and the Howard County Office of Workforce Development to develop and implement the Student Pathways program, which is part of the Career Research and Development Academy.