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Maryland Registered Apprenticeship Development Advisory Board Meeting Minutes – March 23, 2026

Board Members Present

  • Jacob Hsu, Chairman

  • Senator Jim Rosapepe, Senate Representative

  • Minah Woo, Employer Representative

  • Spencer Carroll, Employer Representative

  • Nichalas Cummings, Labor Representative

    Note: Prior to the meeting, Labor Representative Donna Edwards notified Director Chris MacLarion that she would be unable to be in attendance.

    Other Attendees

  • Kassandra McGhee, Jobs for the Future

  • Patrick Bourke, Governor’s Office for Children

  • Chris MacLarion, Director, Office of Apprenticeship (OA), MD Labor

  • Abigail Olson, Assistant Attorney General, MD Labor

  • Logan Dean, Deputy Director, OA

  • Mark Howe, Grant Manager, OA (minutes taker)

  • Yolanda Cullen, MD Labor

  • Anahitta Mian, MD Labor

  • John Ladd, Senior Advisor, Jobs for the Future

Chairman Hsu called the virtual meeting to order at 10:00 am and confirmed a quorum was present.

  1. Opening Remarks

    Chairman Hsu welcomed all to the second meeting of the Maryland Registered Apprenticeship Development Advisory Board (hereinafter referred to as the “Board”). He reminded Board members that these meetings will be conducted six (6) times per year and that the Board is still awaiting the appointment of a member from the House of Delegates. Senator Rosapepe interjected that the Speaker’s staff informed him that Delegate Eric Ebersole of district 12, representing Baltimore and Howard Counties, was appointed to the Board.

  2. Minutes from January 12, 2026 Maryland Registered Apprenticeship Development Advisory Board Meeting

    A motion to approve the January 2026 Maryland Registered Apprenticeship Development Advisory Board meeting minutes was made and unanimously approved. (Labor Representative Donna Edwards was not in attendance.)

  3. Old Business

    Discussion of Bylaws

    • Key issues discussed were meeting frequency and format (in-person, virtual, phone).

    • Director MacLarion offered to provide a copy of the Maryland Apprenticeship and Training Council (MATC) bylaws to use as a guide for formatting. He agreed to update the bylaws and present them at the next Board meeting.

  4. New Business

    1. Discussion of Maryland Apprenticeship Incentive Program (MAIP) Grant

      1. Director MacLarion and Deputy Director Dean provided updates:

        1. Noticeable expansion of group programs and uptick of employers expressing interest in registered apprenticeship (RA) programs.

        2. Grant is managed by the Office of Strategic Initiatives (OSI) at MD Labor.

        3. MAIP has received over 20 applications, 16 are from existing sponsors. About 10-12 construction contractors have applied, some through group program sponsors.

          1. Largest applicant, Howard Community College, applied for 37 apprentices at $111,000.

          2. Baltimore Operating Engineers JATC applied for 12 apprentices at

            $20,000.

          3. Volvo Hagerstown applied for 10 apprentices at $30,000.

          4. Other notable sponsor applicants are Tidal Health and Royal Farms.

        4. Most funds requested are to pay for mentor wages, related instruction, and supportive services.

        5. Will provide a detailed report of apprentices per sector after reimbursements are paid.

        6. Changed grant name from “Pay Per Apprentice” to MAIP because consumers and end-users misunderstood that payment was required to participate.

        7. GAP Busters Inc., a nonprofit IT training entity in Montgomery County converted an apprentice from youth to registered apprentice.

      2. Board requested regular reports from OA on the MAIP grant including:

        1. total number of applicants,

        2. total funds obligated,

        3. number of High School Level of Registered Apprenticeship (HSLRA) apprentices served,

        4. total number of apprentices served,

        5. number of employers served,

        6. number of sponsors served, and

        7. purpose of funding requests.

    2. Discussion of Industry Apprenticeship Accelerator Intermediary Grant (Deputy Director Dean provided updates)

      1. Purpose is to fund intermediary organizations that support employers in the design, launch, and expansion of RA and HSLRA programs with a focus on specific underutilized industries across Maryland. Sponsors or partner orgs that support sponsors to build up systematic capacity for RA.

      2. Solicitations for Apprenticeship Accelerator Grant opened February 23, 2026 and will remain open through May 8, 2026. Awards will be announced early June 2026.

      3. OA held two (2) pre-proposal conferences: 320 organizations registered and 310 attended.

      4. The grant has six (6) priority sectors; applicants are not limited to any one sector.

      5. Preference given to applications that include HSLRA as a core element to their project design: aligning CTE course work, building an OJT plan, and efforts to accelerate growth.

      6. Applicants with at least two (2) employer partners are to submit two (2) letters of support, those in construction with more than two employers will be given preference.

      7. Qualified applicants can receive $250,000 - $2.5 million per award on a reimbursable basis.

      8. Period of performance is 36 months: June 1, 2026 to May 1, 2029.

      9. Eligible use of funds includes staffing, administrative costs, recruitment and outreach, curriculum development, employer convenings, and other costs as approved by MD Labor.

      10. Prohibited use of funds includes construction; purchase of facilities, buildings, or other capital expenditures for improvements to land or buildings; and purchase of equipment exceeding $5,000 per unit.

      11. Three (3) key performance and reporting indicators:

        1. Number of RA programs started, expanded, or supported.

        2. Number of employers connected to the system correctly.

        3. Number of apprentices served.

    3. Other Business

      1. Director MacLarion provided a summary of various Circulars and a Bulletin from USDOL to include:

        1. Bulletin “30 Day Shot Clock” announcing the U.S. DOL OA commitment to make registration decisions within 30 days of OA staff receiving finalized apprenticeship program standards from sponsors. OA will launch a virtual “shot clock” website tracking the number of programs registered and the average processing time in OA states per month. The initiative is intended to streamline registration, improve efficiency, and enhance customer service, while advancing the Administration’s goal of exceeding one million active Registered Apprentices nationwide.

        2. Circular 2026-01 informs the OA, State Apprenticeship Agencies (SAAs), program sponsors, and stakeholders about policies for calculating RA program completion rates used to evaluate program performance and improve transparency. OA and SAA staff are requested to apply this guidance during program reviews, while sponsors should familiarize themselves with the requirements. The guidance is grounded in 29 CFR Part 29, which mandates performance evaluation of apprenticeship programs, and reinforces procedures originally outlined in OA Bulletin 2015-10 on calculating completion rates.

        3. Circular 2026-02 promotes the uniform application of 29 CFR Part 29 by clarifying the permissible functions and responsibilities of SAAs and SACs. The guidance aims to remove administrative obstacles to apprenticeship registration, improve access to in-demand workforce training, and support national workforce development goals. OA expects SAA officials, SAC members, OA staff, and other stakeholders to review and apply this guidance to ensure state laws and practices align with federal apprenticeship regulations.

        4. Circular 2026-03 informs OA staff, SAAs, program sponsors, and stakeholders that Circular 2016-01 has been rescinded and replaced. The new guidance clarifies the criteria for designing competency-based, hybrid, and time-based apprenticeship programs and provides updated standards for key elements such as apprentice performance evaluation, related instruction, advanced standing, and issuance of completion certificates. OA staff, SAAs, and program sponsors are requested to review and apply this guidance when developing, registering, and evaluating apprenticeship programs, ensuring alignment with 29 CFR Part 29 regulations.

      2. Chairman Hsu asked Board members to consider topics the Board should discuss more in-depth as well as how the Board can provide the Office of Apprenticeship more support and oversight.

  5. Chairman Hsu concluded the meeting with a motion to adjourn.

Respectfully Submitted,

Christopher D. MacLarion Director

Office of Apprenticeship, MD Labor