BALTIMORE, MD—The Maryland Department of Health and Morgan State University have launched a new apprenticeship program aimed at training the next generation of environmental health specialists in Maryland. The initiative, developed in partnership with the Maryland Professional Employees Council (MPEC), is designed for adult learners seeking careers in public health.
The Environmental Health Specialist Apprenticeship Program, approved by the Maryland Department of Labor, offers a dual pathway of academic coursework and hands-on field experience. Apprentices will take environmental science and public health classes while gaining practical skills through rotations at local health departments across the state. The program prepares participants to sit for the Registered Environmental Health Specialist/Registered Sanitarian (REHS/RS) exam, administered by the National Environmental Health Association.
“This apprenticeship program marks a major step forward in how we train and empower the next generation of environmental health specialists,” said Maryland Health Secretary Dr. Meena Seshamani. “This dual-pathway approach ensures Marylanders are equipped with both the academic foundation and the practical tools to protect public health in communities across the state.”
Key features of the program include tuition assistance for all related coursework, hands-on training in areas such as water safety, disease vector control, and soil and waste management, a flexible learning environment, and a clear career path toward licensure and long-term employment.
Maryland Department of Labor Secretary Portia Wu praised the collaboration, calling it a “first-in-the-nation apprenticeship pathway in environmental health” that will “open up doors for Marylanders while filling critical positions.”
Dr. Nicole Westrick, Vice President and Dean of Morgan State University’s College of Interdisciplinary and Continuing Studies, emphasized the program’s role in addressing workforce gaps and creating accessible pathways to education, especially for adult learners balancing education with other responsibilities.
Marylanders interested in the program must be at least 18 years old, have completed 60 or more college credits in a relevant field such as public health, environmental science, or biology, and commit to both classroom learning and fieldwork as a paid MDH employee.
Despite a hiring freeze for most Executive Branch positions announced by Governor Wes Moore for Maryland’s Fiscal Year 2026 Budget, the MDH-MSU Environmental Health Specialist Apprenticeship positions are exempt and are actively seeking candidates.
Additional information about the program can be found online here.
Photo via Morgan State University
