ANNAPOLIS, MD—Governor Wes Moore this week announced that the Maryland Department of Labor received an additional $2 million in grants to expand the Employment Advancement Right Now Maryland program. The 13 new awards announced this week will allow more than 700 Marylanders to receive industry-driven occupational training and meaningful connections to employment opportunities offered by more than 200 participating employers and industry partners.
“Maryland’s economy thrives when there is more access to job opportunities across all sectors,” said Gov. Moore. “Expanding the EARN program provides yet another opportunity to help businesses cultivate a skilled and competitive workforce and to connect Marylanders to good jobs in vital industries.”
EARN Maryland awards funding to strategic industry partnerships that comprise employers, non-profits, higher education institutions, local workforce development boards, and local governments. Based upon employer-identified training needs, partnerships provide education and skills training to unemployed and underemployed Marylanders. The program also includes career advancement strategies for incumbent workers, leading to a more highly skilled workforce in the state.
“EARN has been a highly successful program for almost 15 years,” said Maryland Department of Labor Secretary Portia Wu. “These grants will provide substantial investments that will prepare Maryland’s workforce for careers in emerging and high impact industries such as healthcare, cybersecurity and hospitality.”
A 2022 study on the economic impact of EARN (PDF) determined that for every dollar Maryland invests into the program, an additional $17.34 created positive economic activity for the state. Compared to Maryland’s national and regional counterparts, this positive activity exceeded the national average by almost $14.
Since the start of the EARN program in 2013, nearly 9,000 individuals trained through EARN have obtained employment, and over 11,000 incumbent workers have participated in training for in-demand careers and employment opportunities. Additional information on EARN Maryland is available at http://labor.maryland.gov/earn.
