Md. EARN program to cultivate cybersecurity training opportunities for state employees
Maryland Secretary of Labor Tiffany P. Robinson Thursday announced funding from the Employment Advancement Right Now (EARN) Maryland program will be utilized to deliver 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 100 State employees.
Those selected for training will have the opportunity to participate in classroom and hands-on training. Select individuals will also have the opportunity to earn the Certified Information Security Systems Professional Certification.
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 more than 12,000 apprentices “earning and learning” across Maryland.
The program currently has 182 active apprenticeship programs partnering with 3,879 employers. Since 2016, 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.
Gloss