WASHINGTON — Montgomery County officials are considering legislation that would require contractors or subcontractors who are doing business with the county to either use apprentices on the job or contribute to programs that do.
Programs, such as the Montgomery College Building and Construction Technology Program, and other apprenticeship programs at the college’s Homer Gudelsky Institute for Technical Education could benefit from the legislation.
The proposed legislation is up for discussion this week. A public hearing on the legislation is set for October.
Most apprenticeships are a combination of in-classroom and on-the-job learning and are common in trades, such as plumbing, electrical and construction, auto mechanics and more.
Maryland and most other states help industries coordinate apprenticeship programs with local colleges. In Maryland, the Department of Labor, Licensing and Industry is responsible for regulating apprenticeship programs.
The Center for American Progress this summer reported there are a variety of benefits to apprenticeship programs for both employers and students.
“Because apprentices are paid to learn, they need not forgo employment income in order to pursue education and training. Just as importantly, apprentices gain an education while incurring little or no debt. For their part, employers gain a pipeline of skilled workers who have been shown to increase productivity and boost the bottom line,” the center reported.
In 2012, about 147,000 people started apprenticeships in the United States, including more than 2,000 in Maryland, according to the most recently available data from the U.S. Department of Labor. Electricians had the most apprentices in 2012 nationwide.
WTOP’s Kate Ryan contributed to this report. Follow @WTOP on Twitter and on WTOP Facebook page.
