WSM Announces Innovative Career Advising Apprenticeship Program

News Media Contact:
Laura Moreno-Davis
Director of Communications
443-802-3537
lmorenodavis@worksourcemontgomery.com

PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

WSM Announces Innovative Career Advising Apprenticeship Program

ROCKVILLE, MD— In honor of National Apprenticeship Week, WorkSource Montgomery, Inc. (WSM) announced the creation of a registered apprenticeship program for career advising, the first of its kind in the state.

WSM has registered Standards of Apprenticeship with the US Department of Labor's Office of Apprenticeship for its training program in support of MoCo CAP, an innovative career coaching initiative for Montgomery County’s public school population. Local approval from the Maryland Department of Labor for conversion to a Maryland apprenticeship program is in process.

“Having a Registered Apprenticeship program built in-house for the MoCo CAP Career Coaches is a big step forward for this already inventive initiative,” said Anthony Featherstone, WSM Executive Director. “As an avid supporter of the Registered Apprenticeship movement and its crucial mission to help build the economy, WSM is excited to launch this new project.”

A collaborative effort headed by WSM, along with partners Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS), Montgomery College, and the Universities at Shady Grove (USG), MoCo CAP addresses one of the requirements related to the College and Career Readiness pillar laid out by the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future, a $3.8 billion overhaul of the state’s public education system.

MoCo CAP Career Coaches are placed in every MCPS middle, high, and special school throughout the county to help students learn to advocate for themselves and navigate various career pathways. The first cohort of more than 30 MoCo CAP Career Coaches began training in October, deployed in schools in November, and will start work with students in January 2024. An additional nearly 20 professionals will come on board early next year to ultimately serve almost 90,000 students in grades 6 through 12.

WSM’s ambitious new apprenticeship program model addresses the unique professional development required for the Career Coaches by blending online learning and on-the-job training to ensure they are prepared to deliver services that align perfectly with MoCo CAP’s needs.

“We knew that to deliver this creative new model, specialized training for our Coaches was needed,” said John Hattery, WSM’s Career Education Services Deputy Director. “As we continued to plan out this comprehensive programming, we realized that we were building an apprenticeship, so why not finalize it through the Registration of Standards with the support of our partners?”

The yearlong program includes training through partners MCPS, Montgomery College, Educators Cooperative, and USG. When Career Coaches complete the program, they will receive a certification from MC and a Certificate of Journey-level status from the US Department of Labor, a recognized, portable national credential. 

An organization with a documented history supporting Registered Apprenticeship programs, WSM was designated an Apprenticeship Ambassador by the US Department of Labor this year as part of a larger initiative with a goal of helping to create a network of employers, labor organizations, industry associations, sponsors, educators, workforce intermediaries, minority-serving organizations, and other stakeholders to serve as champions for their industry or area of expertise.

About WorkSource Montgomery (WSM)

WSM is the fiduciary agent for Workforce Innovation Opportunity Act (WIOA) funding in Montgomery County. The organization operates the American Job Centers in Wheaton and Germantown and provides employment services to Montgomery County residents who are unemployed or underemployed. WSM
engages employers in various industries throughout the county to ensure that their workforce needs are being met. For more information about WorkSource Montgomery, visit our website at worksourcemontgomery.com. For more information about MoCo CAP, visit our website at mococap.com.