For immediate release March 20, 2008

Media contact: Hope H. Davis 410-869-7153

CCBC awarded $1.9 million to prepare workers for
high-growth construction and energy trades
CCBC among 69 community colleges to receive
President’s Community-Based Job Training Grant

Baltimore, Md. -- The Community College of Baltimore County is one of 69 community colleges awarded a President’s Community-Based Job Training Grant from the U.S. Department of Labor. Of the $125 million awarded, CCBC received slightly more than $1.9 million to prepare workers for the high-growth construction and energy trades.

The proposed project, Building for Tomorrow, intends to increase the pipeline of workers to meet the construction and energy sector’s current and future needs for skilled trade workers. These industries both depend on skilled crafts persons to build, maintain, and expand building and utility infrastructures, and construct and update facilities using new “green” building technologies and practices.

A key challenge for both industries is the severe shortage regionally and throughout Maryland for skilled tradespersons, as well as utility workers. By partnering with a variety of trade associations, businesses, boards, public schools and other community colleges, CCBC will address the shortage in the following ways:

• Develop an apprenticeship preparation program that will prepare 250 individuals for jobs as skilled trade and utility workers in the construction and energy sectors.
• Adapt and customize energy efficient building technology curricula that will train 560 individuals to meet the increase of energy efficient construction.
• Collaborate with partners to create a more positive image of construction and energy technology as viable career options.
• Develop a consortium of community colleges to create agreements and align coursework to increase the number of participating students region-wide.

Partners in this effort include:

Baltimore County Office of Workforce Development
BCOWD Skilled Trade Committee
Associated Builders and Contractors Local Unions
Baltimore Building Trades Training Council
Constellation Energy
Center for Energy Workforce Development
Governor’s Workforce Investment Board
Baltimore County Public Schools
Baltimore County Tech Prep Consortium
Montgomery College
Prince George’s Community College
Frederick College

Introduced by President Bush in his 2004 State of the Union address, Community-Based Job Training Grants improve the ability of community colleges to provide their regions’ workers with the skills needed to enter growing industries. Community colleges within 36 states were awarded grants this year based on applicants from 2007. CCBC was one of two community colleges in the state to receive such a grant.

For information about CCBC’s Community-Based Job Training Grant, call Beth Arman at 410-455-4765.