Career-oriented Baltimore City students will have the opportunity to participate in some of the $9.6 billion infrastructure projects funded by the Biden Administration through apprenticeships.
One of these projects includes the construction of the $4.7 billion Frederick Douglass Tunnel, which will replace the Baltimore and Potomac Tunnel that’s been in place for 150 years.
In May, President Biden named Baltimore as one of only five “Workforce Hubs” in the U.S., giving the state of Maryland billions of dollars of funding to create higher-paying, union-oriented construction jobs through a series of projects dedicated to improving transportation, internet and water access, and more.
Federal, state and local leaders gathered Monday at Carver Vocational Technical High School to announce more detailed plans.
“Maryland is on the move y'all, literally and figuratively,” Governor Wes Moore said. “And the whole country is paying attention.”
Leaders committed to hiring local union workers for the infrastructure projects.
And, the Baltimore-DC Building Trades Union will add at least 200 apprenticeship opportunities over the next five years for Baltimore students on career and technical education paths.
This pipeline will begin with a partnership through Carver Vocational Technical High School and Frederick Douglass High School.
Baltimore City Public Schools CEO Sonja Santelises said “the funding to support construction careers and technical education is being felt immediately.”
Acting Secretary of Labor Julie Su said these apprenticeships are “superhighways” for career-oriented students.
“Many of these good jobs do not require a college degree,” Su said. “And if we do things right, we're going to create on-ramps for young people to these good union jobs.”
Moore said these investments are going to make Maryland’s workforce stronger – by prioritizing “union hands” and training young people like students at Carver VoTech.
“You all are not just the ones that we are fighting for,” Moore said to students at Monday’s press conference. “You're the ones that were looking to, for the hope, for the inspiration, for the build.”
