Maryland Apprenticeship Connector (MAC) announces a new partnership with CTEWorkforce (CTE) to establish a Group Non-Joint Sponsor and Advisory Committee to launch and manage a high school-level Registered Apprenticeship Program (RAP). This initiative aims to enhance the development of business and technical expertise across Maryland and connect individuals with meaningful career opportunities.
“Across the country, and especially here in Maryland, we’re seeing significant workforce shortages,” shared Chris Abell, cofounder and IT Lead at MAC. A recent U.S. Chamber of Commerce report indicates that there are only 33 workers for every 100 job openings in Maryland. But our initiative aims to do more than just fill jobs; it’s about opening doors for the next generation to rewarding careers through valuable apprenticeships.”
Echoing this, Bobby Keener, CEO at CTEWorkforce, underscored the partnership’s operational benefits, “By pooling our resources and expertise, we can effectively tackle the urgent need for skilled professionals. Together with MAC, we are poised to make a significant impact on Maryland’s workforce development by creating career pathways for high school students.”
The partnership will leverage MAC and CTE’s extensive networks and offer structured training in key industries, particularly in critical sectors, including cybersecurity, IT, and healthcare. MAC offers strategic direction and deep community ties, which are crucial for the success of these initiatives. Meanwhile, CTE brings its proven track record and the YourCareerCounselor™(YCC) platform, which will be instrumental in managing and tracking the apprenticeship programs and the development of competencies.
MAC and CTE will be forming an advisory committee to oversee the program’s implementation and ensure it aligns with the strategic missions of both organizations. C-level executives and HR directors from Maryland-based companies, particularly those in healthcare, education, technology, government, and construction, are invited to get involved. If you are interested in joining the advisory committee or your company would like to participate in future program stages, please contact us at mac@cteworkforce.com.
About Maryland Apprenticeship Connector
The Maryland Apprenticeship Connector (MAC) is a collaborative effort of its founding partners, the Maryland Center for Construction Education & Innovation (MCCEI), Health Tech Alley (HTA), and Carroll Technology & Innovation Council (CTIC), to build an apprenticeship ecosystem for Maryland. MAC exists to illuminate the undeniable value of apprenticeships, championing them as an essential pathway across all industries to achieve immediate operational benefits while also future-proofing employers’ workforces. Visit macworkforce.org to learn more.
About CTEWorkforce
Based on the belief that people can deliver amazing results when given the right opportunity and support, CTEWorkforce was founded to provide human-centric, workforce development solutions to meet the growing employer-demand for qualified cybersecurity professionals. These solutions have expanded to deliver measurable outcomes in the education, healthcare, construction, and technology markets, among others. The heart of our service offering is YourCareerCounselor™ , a cloud-based human capital optimization platform, which can be configurated to power a wide range of workforce and professional development initiatives. Our programs and solutions have been validated, and endorsed by the U.S. Department of Labor, the Virginia Department of Labor and Industry, Virginia’s Commonwealth Cyber Initiative, the U.S. Army, the Virginia Department of Veteran’s Service, and the VA Dept. of Rehabilitative Services, as well as economic development authorities, and colleges and universities across the country. A veteran-owned organization, the company has been awarded the U.S. Department of Labor HIRE Vets Platinum Medallion and is a certified Virginia Values Veterans (V3) organization. Learn more at www.cteworkforce.com.
