News: Maryland Department of Labor to Fund Critical Cybersecurity Upskilling Opportunities for State Employees
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Maryland Department of Labor to Fund Critical Cybersecurity Upskilling Opportunities for State Employees
State Invests Training Dollars for the Cultivation of a Highly-Skilled Workforce to Combat Threats
BALTIMORE, MD (October 27, 2022) – Maryland Secretary of Labor Tiffany P. Robinson today announced that funding from the Employment Advancement Right Now (EARN) Maryland program will be utilized to deliver cutting-edge cybersecurity training to State employees. In partnership with the Maryland Department of Information Technology (DoIT), EARN grantee Baltimore Cyber Range LLC (Baltimore Cyber) will provide training to one hundred State employees.
“EARN Maryland has been nationally-recognized for its industry-driven approach, which has proven successful in cultivating a highly-skilled workforce for the private sector,” said Secretary Robinson. “But given the ever-evolving cybersecurity threat to our state government, I am pleased we are able to invest in the training and upskilling of our own cyber workforce with these funds. State employees play a critical, full-time role in ensuring our government runs effectively and efficiently, and this grant to Baltimore Cyber will go a long way towards achieving this goal,” continued Robinson.
Those selected for training will have the opportunity to participate in classroom and hands-on training, including hyper-realistic scenarios of real-world cybersecurity threats free-of-charge. Select individuals will also have the opportunity to earn the Certified Information Security Systems Professional Certification.
“The Department of Information Technology looks forward to partnering with MD Labor and Baltimore Cyber on this exciting initiative,” said Chip Stewart, State Chief Information Security Officer. “The training provided through this effort will ensure our State workforce continues to have the relevant skills to identify and respond to ever-changing cybersecurity threats.”
This investment is the latest in the Hogan administration’s commitment to developing a strong cybersecurity and information technology workforce. Recognizing the success of the EARN Maryland program, the Hogan administration has more than doubled the investment into EARN, with an added targeted investment of $3 million annually for cybersecurity and information technology. Given the growing demand for highly-skilled cyber and information technology professionals, the FY23 budget includes an additional $1 million, for a total of $4 million for the industry. The program has supported nearly 2,100 individuals in obtaining employment in the cybersecurity and information technology industries, and close to 2,000 incumbent workers have received training.
Similarly, over the past several years, the Maryland Apprenticeship and Training Program has experienced impressive growth, with the program achieving the first-time milestone of over 12,000 apprentices “earning and learning” across Maryland. The program currently has 182 active apprenticeship programs partnering with 3,879 employers. Since 2016, a total of 16 Registered Apprenticeship programs for occupations in cybersecurity or information technology have been created in Maryland, serving 60 individual businesses collectively.
In addition, the Department of Labor has previously awarded a total of 15 individual grants to a variety of intermediaries to help support the adoption of the apprenticeship model for cyber/IT employers.
Apprenticeships are full-time jobs that include on-the-job training and classroom instruction, allowing apprentices to earn while they learn. Anyone 18 years of age or older can be a registered apprentice. Businesses and job seekers interested in apprenticeships are invited to contact info@mdapprenticeship.com or call 410-767-2246. For more information about EARN Maryland, please visit https://labor.maryland.gov/earn/.
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