January 10, 2023 - Minutes of Public Meetings - Apprenticeship and Training Council

Present

Councilmembers* - Title/Affiliation
Brian S. Cavey - Chairman/Employee Representative
Shaunta Chapple - Public Representative
Ryan Sackett - Public Representative
Neil E. Wilford, Jr. - Employee Representative
David J. Wilson, Sr. - Employee
Stephanie Anderson - Employer Representative
Leon W. Bromley - Employer Representative
Michelle L. Butt - Employer Representative
Grant Shmelzer - Employer Representative
Nicholas Burdick - USDOL/OA Consultant to the Council

*Employee Representatives Allen B. Clinedinst III and Norbert R. Klusmann, Sr., and Employer Representative David Smarte notified Director Chris MacLarion that they were unable to attend before the meeting convened.

Other Attendees -Title/Affiliation
James Rzepkowski - Assistant Secretary for Workforce Development and Adult Learning (DWDAL), Maryland Department of Labor
Erin Roth - Deputy Assistant Secretary, DWDAL
Lloyd Day - Director Office of Workforce Development, DWDAL
Leza Griffith - Maryland Assistant Attorney General
Christopher D. MacLarion - Director, Maryland Apprenticeship and Training Program (MATP)
Ginamarie Best - Program Manager, MATP
Jeffrey Smith - Program Manager, MATP
Coral Crawford - MATP
Kevin L. Hunt - MATP
Sheila Jackson - MATP
Faith Ramsburg - MATP
Jennifer D. Runkles - MATP
Robert J. Zimberoff - MATP
Charles Wallace - Maryland State Department of Education
Jennifer Griffin - Maryland State Department of Education
Ellen Bredt - Maryland Department of Labor
Diane Dabbs - Maryland Department of Labor
Michael Genevro - Parker Plastics
Ruth Patterson - Hamilton Ryker TalentGro
Michael Alexander - CCTV Master, LLC
Purcell Wylie - CCTV Master, LLC
Keith Sheeley - Truck Enterprises, Inc. Hagerstown
Lee Mellott - Truck Enterprises, Inc. Hagerstown
Gary Armstrong - Ironworkers Local 5
Mike Kelleher - Maryland Manufacturing Extension Partnership
Becky Kemp - Maryland Manufacturing Extension Partnership
Anthony Roberts - Phase 3 Training Corporation
Amy Rock - Prince George’s County Public Schools
Donnita McMillan - Prince George’s County Public Schools
James Aaron - Total Comfort Heating and Air, Inc.
Tammy Aaron - Total Comfort Heating and Air, Inc.
Kenneth Richard - East End Driving and Placement Service, LLC
Sherman Davis - Futech Engineering Solutions, LLC
Doug Meekins - Mickey’s Car E.R.
Shari Wescott - Sprinkler Fitters Local Union 669
Charles Ketner - Sprinkler Fitters Local Union 669
Marie Thomas - Sprinkler Fitters Local Union 669
Kipp Snow - Community College of Baltimore County
Cesar Aguirre - Laborer International Union of North America
Andrew Seymore - Specialty Granules, Inc.
Kevin Kelly - Specialty Granules, Inc.
Sandi Weaver - British American Auto Care
Sprigg Lynn - Universal Floors, Inc.
Guy Hunter - Universal Floors, Inc.
Dawn Lynch - U.S. Department of Labor Office of Apprenticeship
James Reamy - Finishing Trades Institute of Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, D.C.
Jason McDonald - Baltimore Washington Laborers’ Joint Training Fund
William Taylor - Coalition for Public Safety Training In Schools
Louis Monk - Baltimore City Mayor’s Office of Employment Development
James Horton - IBEW Local 70

Chairman Cavey called the meeting to order at 9 a.m. at Independent Electrical Contractors – Chesapeake, 8751 Freestate Drive, Suite 250, Laurel, MD 20723.

I. Minutes of the March 8, 2022, Maryland Apprenticeship and Training Council meeting.

A motion to approve the minutes was made by Mr. Shmelzer, seconded by Mr. Wilford and unanimously approved (Mr. Clinedinst, Mr. Klusmann and Mr. Smarte absent).

II. OPENING REMARKS

Chairman Cavey invited Assistant Secretary James Rzepkowski to speak. Mr. Rzepkowski welcomed all in attendance on behalf of Governor Larry Hogan, Lieutenant Governor Boyd Rutherford and Maryland Department of Labor Secretary Tiffany Robinson. Mr. Rzepkowski said he attended Council meetings regularly since 2015 when a small room in the basement at the Maryland Department of Labor office on Eutaw Street in Baltimore was the regular venue. Mr. Rzepkowski said that room would no longer suffice for Council meetings because the Council now draws a crowd.

Mr. Rzepkowski thanked the Council members for their service. Mr. Rzepkowski recognized the partners from the U.S. Department of Labor, thanked them for attending and watching what he thought was one of the most highly effective apprenticeship councils in the area. Mr. Rzepkowski said Council members supported the program, supported each other, but also challenged each other. Mr. Rzepkowski said the Council’s work helped to assure apprentices were safe and highly trained.

Mr. Rzepkowski said Governor Hogan was scheduled to make his farewell address at 5 p.m. the day of this Council meeting. Mr. Rzepkowski encouraged attendees to watch the farewell address. Mr. Rzepkowski thanked Councilman Grant Shmelzer and IEC Chesapeake for hosting this Council meeting.

Mr. Rzepkowski asked Maryland Apprenticeship and Training Program staff to stand and be recognized. Mr. Rzepkowski said staff were “the work horses” of the program. Mr. Rzepkowski said in recent years, staff grew from 3.5. Mr. Rzepkowski said the vision of the Council and the administration was to get records straight to determine exactly how many registered apprentices there were in Maryland. Once the records were straight, the Council challenged the administration to grow Maryland Registered Apprenticeship. Mr. Rzepkowski said there were roughly 7,500 registered apprentices in 2016, and by 2018 10,000 apprentices were registered in Maryland. Mr. Rzepkowski said as December 2022, the State of Maryland had more than 12,000 registered apprentices. Mr. Rzepkowski commended program staff for its work and staff received a round of applause. Mr. Rzepkowski thanked Deputy Assistant Secretary Erin Roth for being a partner in the endeavor.

Ms. Roth said good morning and she was excited to work through the 1,500-page agenda.

Ms. Roth and Mr. Rzepkowski thanked Chairman Cavey for offering time to speak.

Chairman Cavey thanked Mr. Rzepkowski for his service and said it was an honor to work with him.

Mr. Cavey asked Maryland Apprenticeship and Training Program Director Chris MacLarion to present his Director’s Report.

III. DIRECTOR'S REPORT

A.Mr. MacLarion wished attendees a happy New Year.

B.Mr. MacLarion said the Director’s Report would be shorter than usual since the agenda had more than 60 items with a 1,500-plus-page packet that supported those items.

C.Mr. MacLarion said a couple program staffers were unable to attend: John Taylor who regularly attended meetings for more than 50 years was at the office working, and Wayne Salter was working to close out fiscal items related to a USDOL grant.

D.Mr. MacLarion said Secretary Robinson was unable to attend because of a scheduling conflict and offered well wishes on her behalf.

E.Apprenticeship Training Fund update:

Total Fund Balance as of December 31, 2022: $1,249,885.16
November contributions: $19,493.30
December contributions: $11,087.94

F. Mr. MacLarion said the Maryland Apprenticeship Tax Credit was newly in effect. Mr. MacLarion said the tax credit allows for a maximum of five tax credits of $3,000 per eligible apprentice per business who worked seven months within the past year beginning in July 2022. A $1,000 tax credit was also available for youth apprentices.

G.Mr. MacLarion said Cecil County Public Schools were recently approved for the Apprenticeship Maryland Program (Youth Apprenticeship). This meant 22 of 24 Maryland school systems were participating in Youth Apprenticeship. Mr. MacLarion said only Garrett and Somerset counties remained to be approved.

H.Mr. MacLarion said the Apprenticeship Maryland Program achieved an all-time high with 450 youth apprentices registered for the 2022-2023 school year. Mr. MacLarion said this was a large increase over the previous school year.

I.Mr. MacLarion said the new Youth Apprenticeship policy was recently completed and would become effective August 1, 2023. Mr. MacLarion said stakeholders were in the process of updating forms, such as youth apprenticeship agreements, as the forms related to the new policy. Mr. MacLarion predicted the work on the new forms would be completed within a couple months. Mr. MacLarion said training would begin related to the new policy for local school systems and Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) staff in April or May 2023, so the policy could be implemented by August 1, 2023.

J.Mr. MacLarion said Council members were provided with a packet from MSDE with details about the Maryland Works grant opportunity. Mr. MacLarion said a number of informational webinars were scheduled regarding the Maryland Works grant.
A motion to accept the Director’s Report was made by Mr. Shmelzer, seconded by Mr. Sackett and unanimously approved (Mr. Clinedinst, Mr. Klusmann and Mr. Smarte absent).

IV. OLD BUSINESS

A. PROGRAM REVIEWS [Five (5) of More Apprentices]:

Prince George’s County Public Schools (Coral Crawford and Ginamarie Best). (Item 1)

Ms. Best said concerns were raised at the November 2022 Council meeting regarding the sponsor’s ability to report information in a timely manner. Ms. Best said program staff worked with Amy Rock, the sponsor’s representative, and others to address these concerns and to assure such issues won’t occur in the future.
Mr. Shmelzer addressed Ms. Rock and said Ms. Rock administers the Youth Apprenticeship program at Prince George’s County Public Schools for high school students. Mr. Shmelzer said that the concern was that students graduate then become full time employees of the school district and adult apprentices in a Registered Apprenticeship. Mr. Shmelzer asked why Ms. Rock was administering this transition rather than someone in Human Resources, or someone outside of the youth programs.
Ms. Rock said this was a result of a historical precedent. Ms. Rock said PGCPS was the first school district to begin this kind of apprenticeship within its building services department. Ms. Rock said when the program began, it was a partnership between building services and the career and technical education department. Ms. Rock explained the relationship between building services and career and technical education departments. Ms. Rock said the Registered Apprenticeship program administration functions were handled by her office because of historical precedent and procedures that were already put in place, including tracking on-the-job training and related instruction hours for Registered Apprenticeship. Ms. Rock said Donnita McMillan was recently named an apprenticeship specialist and Ms. McMillan would take on many of the administrative functions of Registered Apprenticeship.
Ms. Rock said that this was a four-year program and after two years, youth apprentices graduated high school and transitioned into the adult program. Ms. Rock said, with Prince George’s County Public Schools serving as the Sponsor, they continued to track OJT and RI hours.
Mr. Shmelzer said his concern was Ms. Rock and her team had very little input into human resources functions related to Registered Apprenticeship. Mr. Shmelzer said he believes someone in the public school’s HR department should be handling the program, and this was his personal opinion.
Ms. Rock said this was a relatively new program and they were learning to address challenges and delegate responsibilities as they go, such as tracking OJT and RI hours. Ms. Rock said the school system was working to put an automated system in place to track hours that would help to alleviate the burden.
Mr. Shmelzer asked if there were any plans for someone in the HR department to alleviate some of the responsibility from Ms. Rock and her team. Ms. Rock said not at the time of this Council meeting. Mr. Wilford asked for a point of clarification. He asked if the 144 hours of related instruction was per year or the total. Mr. MacLarion explained the 144 hours was per year, not the grand total.
A motion to approve this review was made by Mr. Wilford, seconded by Mr. Bromley and unanimously approved (Mr. Clinedinst, Mr. Klusmann and Mr. Smarte absent).

V. NEW BUSINESS

A. NEW PROGRAMS:

Universal Floors, Inc. (Ginamarie Best) – Occupation of Wood Flooring Specialist. Related Instruction to be provided by the National Wood Flooring Association University online. Request for registration of an Affirmative Action Plan with apprentice selection procedures, goals, and timetables for minority and female apprentices. (Item 2)
Ms. Best said she was joined by Sprigg Lynn, owner, and Guy Hunter, manager, of the prospective sponsor. Mr. Shmelzer asked if the prospective sponsor’s program was approved in Washington, D.C. Ms. Best said the prospective sponsor was interested in registering a program in Maryland first because the staff all reside in Maryland.
Mr. Shmelzer asked if labs were included in the program. Ms. Best said she conducted a site visit and labs were available at the facility.
Mr. Shmelzer asked if there was a mechanism in place to track related instruction hours. Ms. Best said this would be addressed at the Next Steps webinar which Ms. Best planned to host soon after the meeting. Mr. Shmelzer asked if there was a content management system with the ability to track hours. A prospective sponsor’s representative confirmed a content management system was in place.
Mr. Wilford asked if the journeyworker’s rate was $33 or $38 because it was listed differently in different parts of the prospective sponsor’s packet. A sponsor’s representative confirmed the rate was $33 per hour.
A motion to approve this new program and registration of an Affirmative Action Plan was made by Mr. Wilford, seconded by Mr. Wilson and unanimously approved (Mr. Clinedinst, Mr. Klusmann and Mr. Smarte absent).
International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, Local Union 70 Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee (Ginamarie Best) – Occupation of Line Maintainer. Related Instruction to be provided by the sponsor at their location in Forestville, Maryland. Request for registration of an Affirmative Action Plan with apprentice selection procedures, goals, and timetables for minority and female apprentices. (Item 3)
Ms. Best said a prospective sponsor’s representative was not available at the initial time this item was heard and asked the Chairman to consider hearing the item once a representative arrived. Chairman Cavey asked Ms. Best to inform him when a representative arrived so this item could be heard later in the meeting.
This item was heard after Item 11 when the meeting reconvened following a comfort break.
Mr. Shmelzer asked if apprentices would be able to sit for a cable-splicing certification. Ms. Best answered yes.
Mr. Wilford asked if this was an occupation that was new to apprenticeship or if it was a new title for a previous occupation. A sponsor’s representative said this was an old occupation under a new title.
Mr. Wilford asked for details related to safety training. A sponsor’s representative briefly explained the safety training to Mr. Wilford’s satisfaction.
A motion to approve this new program and registration of an Affirmative Action Plan was made by Mr. Wilson, seconded by Mr. Bromley and unanimously approved (Mr. Clinedinst, Mr. Klusmann and Mr. Smarte absent).
CCTV Master LLC (Faith Ramsburg) – Occupation of Sewer Line Photo Inspector. Related Instruction to be provided in-house at their location in Baltimore, Maryland. (Item 4)
Ms. Ramsburg said she was joined by Purcell Wylie, president, and Michael Alexander, related instruction provider for the prospective sponsor. Mr. Wilford asked if this was a 1,000-hour program. Mr. MacLarion explained this was a 2,000-hour program divided into 1,000-hour intervals.
A motion to approve this new program was made by Dr. Chapple, seconded by Mr. Wilford and unanimously approved (Mr. Clinedinst, Mr. Klusmann and Mr. Smarte absent).
East End Driving and Placement Service, LLC (Faith Ramsburg) – Occupation of Truck Driver, Heavy. Related Instruction to be provided in-house by the sponsor at a site in Linthicum Heights, Maryland. Request for registration of an Affirmative Action Plan with apprentice selection procedures, goals, and timetables for minority and female apprentices. (Item 5)
Ms. Ramsburg said she was joined by Kenneth Richard, CEO of the prospective sponsor. Mr. Shmelzer asked if all the related instruction occurred before the on-the-job training. Ms. Ramsburg said this was correct. Mr. Shmelzer asked why this was considered for apprenticeship when related instruction typically occurs concurrent to on-the-job training. Mr. MacLarion said apprentices would first be brought on as employees, registered as apprentices, then the related instruction would occur with apprentices as employees.
Mr. Wilford asked if apprentices would earn a CDL during the apprenticeship. Ms. Ramsburg answered yes.
Mr. Shmelzer asked how outreach would work considering the prospective sponsor intended to register and Affirmative Action Plan. Mr. Shmelzer asked if the prospective sponsor “had boots on the ground here in Maryland.” Ms. Ramsburg said the prospective sponsor has engaged numerous entities in Maryland in order to recruit and has boots on the ground in Maryland.
A motion to approve this new program and registration of an Affirmative Action Plan was made by Mr. Wilford, seconded by Mr. Bromley and unanimously approved (Mr. Clinedinst, Mr. Klusmann and Mr. Smarte absent).
Futech Engineering Solutions, LLC. – Occupation of Commercial Drone Pilot. Related Instruction to be provided in-house by the sponsor at sites in Baltimore and Salisbury, Maryland. (Item 6)
Ms. Ramsburg said she was joined by Sherman Davis, founder and CEO of the prospective sponsor. Mr. Sackett asked at what point during the on-the-job training would apprentices receive an FAA license. Mr. Davis said a test would be scheduled in the second month of the apprenticeship and if the test was passed, apprentices would be able to fly drones and continue their training. Ms. Ramsburg said ideally, apprentices would earn a certification in two months if the test was passed.
Mr. Shmelzer said, according to the qualifications, an apprentice must have a high school diploma or equivalent or be in the process of obtaining a high school diploma or equivalent to enter the program. Mr. Shmelzer asked if an apprentice would be able to complete the program without obtaining a high school diploma or equivalent. Mr. Davis said obtaining a high school diploma or equivalent would be required to complete the apprenticeship.
A motion to approve this new program was made by Mr. Bromley, seconded by Mr. Sackett and unanimously approved (Mr. Clinedinst, Mr. Klusmann and Mr. Smarte absent).
Phase 3 Training Corporation – Occupation of Elevator Mechanic. Related Instruction to be provided by the National Association of Elevator Contractors at a site in Baltimore, Maryland. Request for registration of an Affirmative Action Plan with apprentice selection procedures, goals, and timetables for minority and female apprentices. (Item 7)
Ms. Ramsburg said she was joined by Anthony Roberts, executive director for the prospective sponsor. Mr. Sackett asked, since the qualifications require the ability to read on a ninth-grade level, if a standardized test would be administered. Ms. Roth said there were two tests that were typically used to determine reading levels.
A motion to approve this new program and registration of an Affirmative Action Plan was made by Mr. Wilson, seconded by Mr. Sackett and unanimously approved (Mr. Clinedinst, Mr. Klusmann and Mr. Smarte absent).
Parker Plastics (Jennifer D. Runkles) – Occupation of Industrial Maintenance Technician. Related Instruction to be provided by ToolingU online. (Item 8)
Ms. Runkles said she was joined by Michael Genevro, plant manager for the prospective sponsor. Mr. Shmelzer asked if the prospective sponsor had established an apprenticeship program in any other states. Ms. Runkles said this was the first program, but the prospective sponsor was interested in growing apprenticeship in other regions of the country.
Ms. Anderson asked if the related instruction included labs. Ms. Runkles said the related instruction was provided online without labs. Mr. Wilford asked if there was any face-to-face instruction besides OJT. Ms. Runkles said there was not, but the online instructional provider was approved for use in other Registered Apprenticeship Programs. Ms. Runkles said the prospective sponsor was interested in working with other instructional providers in the future, including Hagerstown Community College, and the prospective sponsor would likely come before Council in the future to amend the standards to include new instructional providers.
A motion to approve this new program was made by Ms. Butt, seconded by Mr. Bromley and unanimously approved (Mr. Clinedinst, Mr. Klusmann and Mr. Smarte absent).
Specialty Granules, Inc. (Jennifer D. Runkles) – Occupation of Industrial Maintenance Technician. Related Instruction to be provided by Hagerstown Community College at their location in Hagerstown, Maryland. Request for registration of an Affirmative Action Plan with apprentice selection procedures, goals, and timetables for minority and female apprentices. (Item 9)
Ms. Runkles said she was joined by Kevin Kelly, HR manager, and Andy Seymore, plant manager for the prospective sponsor.
A motion to approve this new program and registration of an Affirmative Action Plan was made by Mr. Wilson, seconded by Mr. Bromley and unanimously approved (Mr. Clinedinst, Mr. Klusmann and Mr. Smarte absent).
After the motion, Mr. Shmelzer said he was aware of big changes at Hagerstown Community College. Mr. Shmelzer asked if Hagerstown Community College intend to hold labs at a new building that was coming to the campus. Ms. Runkles said that was the plan to the best of her knowledge.
Mr. Sackett compared the previous item (Item 8) to this item (Item 9). Mr. Sackett said the items looked very similar and why the sponsor in Item 8 was using an online instructional provider while this prospective sponsor was using the nearby community college. Ms. Runkles said the decisions were left to the sponsors. Ms. Runkles said the community college was working to build related instruction for the occupation as of the time of this Council meeting. Mr. Sackett asked if the community college had the capacity to serve both sponsors.
Mr. Shmelzer predicted that the provisional review of the prospective sponsor related to this item (Item 9) would present an opportunity to change related instruction. Mr. Shmelzer said the community college was in transition, and the plans the community college had would entice employers to use their facilities and instruction.
Mr. MacLarion said in-person related instruction is generally preferred whenever possible, but there were several possible challenges as well. Mr. MacLarion said sometimes a challenge is college capacity. Mr. MacLarion said sometimes a challenge is an industry having enough capacity to fill college classes. Mr. MacLarion said that just because a sponsor is near a college doesn’t mean apprentices live near the college. Apprentices might travel a significant distance to work and online instruction might be more feasible for the safety and convenience of apprentices. Mr. MacLarion said there tend to be a lot of variables when it comes to deciding on related instruction providers, especially in heavy industry and manufacturing. Mr. MacLarion said program staff explores every option, but at the end of the day, businesses have to make decisions that work best for them.
Mr. Sackett said there were risks to community colleges as well when making class density determinations. Mr. MacLarion agreed with Mr. Sackett and said, for example, a class could start with 12 apprentices, but end with three which would create issues with sustainability. Mr. MacLarion said, comparing 2023 to 1983, online instruction has replaced correspondence courses which were once commonly accepted in various apprenticeship models.
Total Comfort Heating and Air Conditioning, Inc. (Jennifer D. Runkles) – Occupation of HVAC/R Technician. Related Instruction to be provided online by Penn Foster and with on-site lab sessions. (Item 10)
Ms. Runkles said she was joined by James Aaron and Tammy Aaron, owners of the prospective sponsor. Mr. Shmelzer said he thought ABC Cumberland Valley offered an HVAC/R apprenticeship program. Ms. Runkles said Mr. Shmelzer was correct, but the prospective sponsor used ABC Cumberland in the past, but the prospective sponsor was interested in creating its own program. Ms. Runkles said the prospective sponsor was aware it could join ABC Cumberland’s group program in the future. Mr. Shmelzer addressed the prospective sponsor’s representatives and said he had some concerns with the RI provider related to other occupations, not necessarily HVAC/R. Mr. Shmelzer said one of the prospective sponsor’s duty was to ensure apprentices stayed on pace with the RI. Mr. Shmelzer said this required diligence.
A motion to approve this new program was made by Mr. Sackett, seconded by Ms. Anderson and unanimously approved (Mr. Clinedinst, Mr. Klusmann and Mr. Smarte absent).
Truck Enterprises Hagerstown, Inc. (Jennifer D. Runkles) – Occupation of Diesel Technician. Related Instruction to be provided on site by Hagerstown Community College at their location in Hagerstown, Maryland and online by Penn Foster. Request for registration of an Affirmative Action Plan with apprentice selection procedures, goals, and timetables for minority and female apprentices. (Item 11)
Ms. Runkles said she was joined by Keith Sheeley and Lee Mellott, the prospective sponsor’s representatives. Ms. Runkles said the prospective sponsor was also seeking approval to become a Youth Apprenticeship eligible employer in an item later in the agenda for this meeting.
Ms. Anderson asked if there was a typographical error related to the occupation on Page 410 of the Council’s packet: The occupation stated “HVAC” and Ms. Anderson asked if it should be replaced with “diesel.” Ms. Runkles said this was indeed a typographical error and diesel should be listed.
Mr. Wilford asked why the third- and fourth-year RI was provided through an online provider since the first and second year of RI were provided by a community college. Mr. Wilford asked if this was because the community college didn’t offer the necessary instruction. Ms. Runkles said Mr. Wilford was correct, and the community college classes were not all inclusive. Mr. Wilford asked if the fourth year was provided entirely online. Ms. Runkles said the fourth year was entirely online. Mr. Wilford said his experience with the COVID pandemic showed online offerings do not work as well as in-person instruction. Mr. Wilford said completion rates in the RA program he helped to administer were much lower with online offerings than with in-person instruction. Mr. MacLarion said, in his opinion, he preferred in-person instruction. Mr. MacLarion said that in-person instruction wasn’t always convenient or practical, especially in the more rural parts of the state. Mr. MacLarion said he thought it worthwhile to continue to engage the community college to see if it could offer more courses. Mr. MacLarion said the needs of sponsors, in general, also must be considered. Mr. MacLarion said there were also potential capacity issues related to course offerings.
Mr. Sackett asked if there was a high school diesel program in Washington County. Ms. Runkles said yes. Mr. Sackett asked if high school students took courses at the local community college. Ms. Runkles said high school students attended diesel courses at the high school tech center, and the tech center was serving as a feeder to the employer/prospective sponsor. Mr. Sackett said he was concerned about capacity, with multiple entities offering RI that was relevant to the occupation. Ms. Runkles said there was a strong pipeline established. Mr. Sackett said the pipeline was reassuring. Ms. Runkles said there were many service centers in the county which was heavily traveled by commercial vehicles. Mr. Bromley asked if fourth-year apprentices were paid 100 percent of the journeyworker rate. Ms. Runkles and a sponsor’s representative said fourth-year apprentices would receive 100 percent.
A motion to approve this new program and registration of an Affirmative Action Plan was made by Mr. Bromley, seconded by Ms. Butt and unanimously approved (Mr. Clinedinst, Mr. Klusmann and Mr. Smarte absent).
Chairman Cavey called for a comfort break at 10:03 a.m. after this item (Item 11) was approved. The Council heard Item 3 when the meeting reconvened, and returned to Item 12 after Item 3.

B. PROGRAM REVISIONS:

Baltimore Washington Laborers’ Joint Training Fund (Ginamarie Best) – Request for registration of updated Standards of Apprenticeship for all registered occupations, Affirmative Action Plan and Selection Procedures. (Item 12)
Mr. Wilford asked, since the sponsor intended to remove the requirement for an apprentice to have a high school diploma or equivalent, if the sponsor was putting anything in place for apprentices to earn a high school diploma or equivalent during the apprenticeship program. Ms. Best said the sponsor would encourage apprentices to earn a high school diploma or equivalent, but this was not included in the program. Mr. Wilford asked if the prospective sponsor was willing to add obtaining a high school diploma or GED to the program in order to complete. Mr. MacLarion said this revision was one result of the review process that started roughly a year before this Council meeting. Mr. MacLarion said, as a result of the review, the Council required program staff to meet with the relevant JATC to explore ways to improve the program. Mr. MacLarion said a high school diploma simply wasn’t required for apprentices to be successful. Mr. MacLarion said it was admirable to ask to include obtaining a high school diploma, but this was a rare case where Mr. MacLarion would prefer the program to focus on completion rates.
Mr. Shmelzer said, for programs that don’t require a high school diploma or equivalent, he was concerned about occupations that required math and reading comprehension. Mr. Shmelzer asked how a sponsor in general would “benchmark” the makeup of a class, and it might be difficult for an instructor with apprentices potentially spanning a wide array of comprehension in one class. Mr. MacLarion said staff would have to take a good look at the requirements of particular occupations, and though a high school diploma or equivalent might not be required, basic math, reading and writing skills could be required for practically every program. Mr. MacLarion said the secondary question becomes what level of math, reading and writing would be required for any given apprenticeship. Mr. MacLarion said there are programs in Maryland that saw improved completion rates once the high school diploma or equivalent requirement was removed. Mr. MacLarion said he applauded this sponsor’s decision to remove this barrier in this specific case.
A motion to approve this revision was made by Mr. Sackett, seconded by Mr. Wilford and unanimously approved (Mr. Clinedinst, Mr. Klusmann and Mr. Smarte absent).
Prince George’s County Public Schools (Ginamarie Best) – Request to replace the existing Related Instruction provider with the Associated Builders and Contractors, Metro Washington. (Item 13)
Mr. Shmelzer asked Ms. Rock if all apprentices and potential apprentices were required to enter the program through the Youth Apprenticeship pathway. Mr. Shmelzer asked if there was an entry point for adults who didn’t participate in Youth Apprenticeship. Ms. Rock said individuals must participate in Youth Apprenticeship in order to move onto years three and four of the four-year program. Mr. Shmelzer asked if this meant there was no outreach except within the school system. Ms. Anderson asked where third- and fourth-year instruction would occur. Mr. Shmelzer said classes would be held near the sponsor’s facilities.
Mr. Shmelzer said in his many years on the Council, he couldn’t recall a program with five or more apprentices with closed recruitment. Mr. Shmelzer asked Mr. MacLarion for guidance. Mr. MacLarion said the Youth Apprenticeship pathway impacted recruitment of apprentices, but it didn’t necessarily impact the sponsor’s ability to hire adults into the same occupation in lieu of apprenticeship. Mr. MacLarion acknowledged this was a unique program, but clarified that this didn’t mean the sponsor was hiring only from within the school system, but the sponsor was hiring apprentices from only within the school system. Mr. MacLarion said, in terms of outreach and Equal Employment Opportunity, the sponsor’s diversity in employment was very good.
Chairman Cavey said, ideally, youth apprentices should receive credit for their achievements when entering an adult program as was the case with this sponsor. Mr. MacLarion agreed.
Mr. Shmelzer said he was concerned about the implications of apprentices being hired away from the sponsor before completing the program. Mr. Shmelzer said with Youth Apprenticeship being the only pathway, this would limit the sponsor’s ability to both recruit and complete apprentices. Mr. Shmelzer said this was only a slight concern. Mr. MacLarion said the journeyworker ratio was relevant to Mr. Shmelzer’s concern, and the sponsor had more than enough journeyworkers to train apprentices. Mr. MacLarion said the sponsor’s first cohorts had not reached completion dates, so completion rates would be analyzed when the time came. Mr. MacLarion said, in some cases, apprentices might transfer to another sponsor in order to complete, and Mr. MacLarion said, “that was a good thing.” Mr. MacLarion said he expects to see a number of completions when the first cohort became eligible to complete. Ms. Rock said COVID caused delays, and the sponsor would soon be requesting extensions for apprentices in the first cohort since they were not allowed to work for roughly a year during the pandemic.
A motion to approve this revision was made by Mr. Shmelzer, seconded by Ms. Butt and unanimously approved (Mr. Clinedinst, Mr. Klusmann and Mr. Smarte absent).
Ironworkers Local 5 JATC (Ginamarie Best) – Request for registration of updated Standards of Apprenticeship for all registered occupations, Affirmative Action Plan and Selection Procedures. (Item 14)
Mr. Shmelzer asked about details in Section 14, related instruction. Mr. Shmelzer said apprentices were given credit for take-home assignments and asked how the time related to homework would be measured. A sponsor’s representative said homework was included so apprentices would spend eight hours per day onsite rather than 10 hours per day. Mr. Shmelzer said no less than 192 hours of related instruction per year was required by the program. Mr. Shmelzer asked how much of the 192 hours per year was allocated for take-home assignments. A sponsor’s representative said roughly 40 hours per year were dedicated to take-home assignments. Mr. Shmelzer said he was concerned about setting a precedent for allowing homework since the hours weren’t measurable. Mr. MacLarion said if the sponsor didn’t acknowledge that homework was part of the program, this would create issues with staff’s ability to monitor the program. Mr. MacLarion said this was also important for the sake of the apprentices and their concerns related to the program.
Mr. Shmelzer said he thought many programs likely included homework that was minimally accounted for. Mr. Shmelzer said including homework in program standards was a potential shift in precedent, and Mr. Shmelzer was simply making an observation. Mr. Sackett asked if homework was included in the standards, would apprentices have to be paid for those hours. Mr. MacLarion said not necessarily since homework was counted as related instruction, not on-the-job training.
Mr. MacLarion said there were consequences, pro and con, to including homework in standards of apprenticeship. Mr. MacLarion said he agreed with Mr. Shmelzer that including homework could represent a shift in Council considerations. Mr. Shmelzer said he would rather see the sponsor reduce the hours than include homework since apprenticeship program staff was not equipped to determine how much time was dedicated to homework when conducting reviews. Mr. Shmelzer said homework was often included in apprenticeship programs registered in Virginia, and from what he saw, this did not work very well. Mr. Wilford said his RA program included homework and he would have to consider the implications of this homework. Mr. MacLarion’s advice to Mr. Wilford was to include the totality of RI in the standards of apprenticeship. Chairman Cavey said his RA program included homework, and whether or not the homework was completed was determined by later assessments.
A motion to approve this revision was made by Mr. Wilford and seconded by Mr. Bromley, Mr. Wilson opposed, Mr. Shmelzer abstained, and the motion carried with all other Council members voting yea (Mr. Clinedinst, Mr. Klusmann and Mr. Smarte absent).
Finishing Trades Institute of Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, D.C. (Ginamarie Best) – Request for revision of Standards of Apprenticeship solely to add language for the School-to-Apprenticeship model. (Item 15)
A motion to approve this revision was made by Mr. Wilford, seconded by Mr. Shmelzer and unanimously approved (Mr. Clinedinst, Mr. Klusmann and Mr. Smarte absent).
British American Auto Care (Sheila Jackson) – Request for reactivation of the occupation of Automotive Technician, with updated On-the-Job Training, Related Instruction, Journeyworker rate, and updated Progressive Wage Scale. (Item 16)
Ms. Jackson said she was joined by Sandi Weaver, the sponsor’s general manager.
A motion to approve this revision was made by Ms. Anderson, seconded by Mr. Shmelzer and unanimously approved (Mr. Clinedinst, Mr. Klusmann and Mr. Smarte absent).
Mickey’s Car ER, LLC (Faith Ramsburg) – Request to revise the existing Progressive Wage Scale. (Item 17)
Ms. Ramsburg said she was joined by Doug Meekins, manager for the sponsor. Mr. Wilford asked if this revision would affect any apprentices already in the program. Ms. Ramsburg answered no. Mr. MacLarion said the sponsor didn’t have any registered apprentices as of the date of this meeting.
A motion to approve this revision was made by Mr. Shmelzer, seconded by Mr. Sackett and unanimously approved (Mr. Clinedinst, Mr. Klusmann and Mr. Smarte absent).
Hamilton Ryker TalentGro (Faith Ramsburg) – Request for reactivation of the occupation of Certified Nursing Assistant, Level 1 with an updated Journeyworker rate, updated Progressive Wage Scale, and the addition of new Participating Employers. (Item 18)
Ms. Ramsburg said she was joined by Ruth Patterson, division director for the sponsor. Mr. Shmelzer asked if this reactivation was only for the occupation of CNA. Ms. Ramsburg answered yes.
A motion to approve this revision was made by Dr. Chapple, seconded by Mr. Bromley and unanimously approved (Mr. Clinedinst, Mr. Klusmann and Mr. Smarte absent).

C. PROGRAM REVIEWS [Five (5) or More Apprentices]:

1. Maryland Environmental Services (Coral Crawford). (Item 19)
Ms. Crawford said staff recommendations were for the sponsor to target organizations in their outreach specifically to increase participation by minority and female apprentices. Staff recommended introducing the sponsor’s representative to the Maryland Department of Labor’s Business Services representatives who worked in the sponsor’s recruitment zone to assist with minority and female apprentices. Ms. Crawford said staff recommended Council approval to include these recommendations.
Mr. Shmelzer said review reports often included details of outreach efforts from sponsors, but he did not see such details in the report included with this item. Mr. Shmelzer asked Ms. Crawford to detail the sponsor’s outreach efforts. Ms. Crawford said sponsors usually provide a list of places contacted. Ms. Crawford said she would include such details in review reports going forward. Mr. Shmelzer said this would be helpful, especially when deficiencies were found, so the Council could determine if there was good faith effort.
A motion to approve this review including staff recommendations was made by Mr. Sackett, seconded by Mr. Bromley and unanimously approved (Mr. Clinedinst, Mr. Klusmann and Mr. Smarte absent).

3. Road Sprinkler Fitters Local Union 669 (Sheila Jackson). (Item 20) Ms. Jackson said she was joined by Charles Ketner, Marie Thomas and Shari Wescott, the sponsor’s representatives.
Mr. Shmelzer said according to the review report, it appeared the sponsor was doing a good job of recruiting until the past two cohorts. Mr. Shmelzer asked Ms. Jackson if she was able to determine what changed. Ms. Jackson said she did not determine what changed but asked the sponsor’s representatives if they would like to comment.
Mr. MacLarion said the sponsor conducted a significant amount of recruitment. Mr. MacLarion said this was one of very few programs that send staff recruitment information every year which staff in turn shares with the Maryland State Department of Education, Local Workforce Areas, American Job Centers, etc. Mr. MacLarion said COVID impacted many programs throughout the state. Mr. Shmelzer said perhaps COVID was the answer, but the program was at 50 percent minority participation in 2018, 2019 and 2020, but this dropped to less than 25 percent in 2021 and 2022. Mr. Shmelzer said he was curious to know if this was caused by change of staff, COVID, or other factors. Mr. Ketner, training program director, said the COVID pandemic caused struggles in the past two years.
A motion to approve this review was made by Mr. Bromley, seconded by Ms. Butt and unanimously approved (Mr. Clinedinst, Mr. Klusmann and Mr. Smarte absent).

4. Bilbrough’s Electric, Inc. (Robert Zimberoff). (Item 21)
A motion to approve this review was made by Mr. Bromley, seconded by Ms. Butt and unanimously approved (Mr. Clinedinst, Mr. Klusmann and Mr. Smarte absent).

D. PROGRAM REVIEWS [Fewer Than Five (5) Apprentices]:

The following program review was performed and the program was found to be conducted in a satisfactory manner. [No Council Action Required]:
1. Franklin Apprenticeship – Occupations of Computer User Support Specialist and Professional Success Coach. (Coral Crawford). (Item 22)
2. Flowserve Corporation – Occupation of Machinist. (Sheila Jackson). (Item 23)
3. Montgomery County Public Schools, Department of School Facilities, Division of Maintenance – Occupation of HVAC/R Technician (Sheila Jackson). (Item 24)
4. Department of the Navy, NSWC IHEODTD – Occupation of Machinist (Jane Sinclair). (Item 25)
5. Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum, Inc. – Occupation of Shipwright (Robert Zimberoff). (Item 26)

E. PROVISIONAL REVIEWS:

Modest Technology Solutions, Inc. (Ginamarie Best). (Item 27) A motion to approve this review was made by Mr. Wilson, seconded by Mr. Bromley and unanimously approved (Mr. Clinedinst, Mr. Klusmann and Mr. Smarte absent).
Carter Machinery Company, Inc. (Coral Crawford). (Item 28) Mr. Wilford said the sponsor was based in Salem, Virginia, near Roanoke in the southern part of the state. Mr. Wilford asked if Maryland residents were traveling to southern Virginia for work. Ms. Crawford said the sponsor services equipment and the work was closer to Maryland or in Maryland. Mr. MacLarion said the sponsor recently acquired another business with Maryland locations. Mr. Shmelzer also explained other work opportunities in Maryland. A motion to approve this review was made by Mr. Wilford, seconded by Mr. Shmelzer, and unanimously approved (Mr. Clinedinst, Mr. Klusmann and Mr. Smarte absent).
Insulation Solutions, Inc. (Faith Ramsburg). (Item 29) A motion to approve this review was made by Mr. Bromley, seconded by Mr. Shmelzer and unanimously approved (Mr. Clinedinst, Mr. Klusmann and Mr. Smarte absent).
Cambridge International, Inc. (Robert Zimberoff). (Item 30) Mr. Zimberoff recommended conducting a second provisional review within 12 months since the sponsor did not register an apprentice in the first year of the program. Mr. Shmelzer asked if the program would become inactive if an apprentice wasn’t registered by November 2023. Mr. Zimberoff said yes. Mr. Shmelzer said this would be an impetus for staff to offer guidance and advice. Mr. Zimberoff said yes. A motion to approve this review including staff recommendations to conduct another provisional review within 12 months was made by Mr. Shmelzer, seconded by Mr. Bromley and unanimously approved (Mr. Clinedinst, Mr. Klusmann and Mr. Smarte absent).

F. VOLUNTARY REQUESTS FOR CANCELLATION OF STANDARDS OF APPRENTICESHIP:

1. Mid-Atlantic Carpenter’s Training Center – Baltimore. Effective November 30, 2022. (Item 31) Chairman Cavey said this item was removed from the agenda.

G. OTHER BUSINESS:

Mid-Atlantic Carpenter’s Training Center – Washington, D.C. Request to award a posthumous Certificate of Completion of Apprenticeship. (Ginamarie Best). (Item 32)
Chairman Cavey said this item was removed from the agenda.
Road Sprinkler Fitters Local Union 669. Request to award a posthumous Certificate of Completion of Apprenticeship. (Sheila Jackson). (Item 33)
A motion to approve this certificate award was made by Mr. Bromley, seconded by Mr. Shmelzer and unanimously approved (Mr. Clinedinst, Mr. Klusmann and Mr. Smarte absent).
Request for the approval of CLSI to be an eligible employer for the Apprenticeship Maryland Program (Youth) (Sheila Jackson). (Item 34)
Chairman Cavey said Item 62 was removed from the agenda, but asked the Council to consider voting on items 34 to 65 together since they were all Apprenticeship Maryland Program (Youth Apprenticeship) employer approvals. Chairman Cavey then invited Mr. Shmelzer to speak. Mr. Shmelzer said the next Youth Apprenticeship Advisory Council meeting was scheduled later in the month of this Council meeting. Mr. Shmelzer said the implementation of the new Youth Apprenticeship policy that was set to take effect August 1, 2023, was on the agenda for the Youth Apprenticeship Advisory Council meeting. Mr. Shmelzer suggested continuing with business as usual until some issues were addressed at the Youth Apprenticeship Advisory Council meeting. Mr. Shmelzer predicted action items related to Youth Apprenticeship and the advisory council meeting would likely appear on the March agenda for the Maryland Apprenticeship and Training Council.
A motion to group items 34 to 65 together in one vote, with the exception of item 62 which was removed from the agenda, was made by Mr. Bromley, seconded by Mr. Sackett and unanimously approved (Mr. Clinedinst, Mr. Klusmann and Mr. Smarte absent).
Mr. Sackett asked if Councilmembers would receive recommendations related to the new Youth Apprenticeship policy before the March meeting of this Council or at the March meeting of this Council. Mr. MacLarion said he was uncertain, but the policy would not become active until August 1, 2023. Mr. MacLarion said the biggest issue has been what was considered to be concurrent education for youth apprentices and how it was applied. Mr. MacLarion said in the months leading to this Council meeting, the Maryland State Department of Education was “phenomenal” about meeting in person with Councilmembers, staff, and the policy committee to address the concurrent instruction issue. Mr. MacLarion said work to address this issue would continue, but the expectation was that instruction would be concurrent to the on-the-job training unless the program identifies ahead of time why it could not be concurrent. Mr. MacLarion said exceptions might be granted for specific reasons. Mr. MacLarion predicted the process might be reevaluated in the months following this Council meeting, but any changes or actions items might not be brought before Council until September 2023.
Mr. Sackett asked if any resistance from various partners was expected. Mr. MacLarion said he didn’t foresee much resistance. Ms. Roth said the definition of concurrent instruction according to the policy that was set to become effective August 1, 2023, didn’t necessarily state the instruction would occur at the exact same time as the on-the-job training. Ms. Roth said the policy defined concurrent as “in the course of the program duration,” so the related instruction and on-the-job training need to occur within the duration of the program with rare exceptions that would go through an approval process with MSDE and the Maryland Department of Labor. Ms. Roth said she looked at the data for youth apprentices who were registered in the program shortly before the date of this Council meeting. She said she more youth apprentices than she realized were not receiving instruction that was concurrent according to the policy set to go into effect August 1, 2023. Ms. Roth said stakeholders would all work together to address this issue, including providing more concrete technical assistance. Ms. Roth predicted the vetting process for pairing related instruction with Youth Apprenticeship employment opportunities would likely be more intensive at the state level.
Mr. Sackett said the largest youth apprenticeship employer in the state, NSA, required part of the education to occur before on-the-job training for youth apprentices. Mr. Sackett asked Ms. Roth if the definition of concurrent in the policy that was set to take effect August 1 would negatively impact NSA’s ability to hire youth apprentices. Mr. MacLarion said that NSA was a rare exception in that education was required up front. Mr. MacLarion said ideally, the NSA’s ability to hire youth apprentices will not be negatively impacted by the new policy.
Mr. Wilford said youth apprenticeship, in his opinion, was designed more for non-traditional apprenticeship occupations. Mr. Wilford said grouping non-traditional occupations with traditional construction trades through Youth Apprenticeship created challenges. Mr. Wilford said construction trades were very different than non-construction trades, but Youth Apprenticeship policy “lumped them all together.” Mr. Wilford said school systems should expect to operate Youth Apprenticeship programs within the framework of the traditional apprenticeship model.
Mr. Shmelzer said the ideal model was for Youth Apprenticeship to transition into an adult Registered Apprenticeship. Mr. MacLarion said the Youth Apprenticeship program continues to evolve. Mr. MacLarion said there are more adult apprentices registered through the school-to-apprenticeship pathway since 1989 when STA was established. Mr. MacLarion said the “gold standard” was to register as many youth apprenticeship employers as possible into the adult Registered Apprenticeship system, so students could be “full blown apprentices in high school.” Mr. MacLarion said this would take some time, with many industries becoming newly involved in apprenticeship. Mr. MacLarion said it’s important for the Council and staff to properly screen potential employers to assure they’re a good fit for Youth Apprenticeship and possibly adult apprenticeship as well.
Charles Wallace, of the Maryland State Department of Education, said he looked forward to the Council’s consideration of past and future Youth Apprenticeship eligible employers. Mr. Wallace said, by joining Council meetings, he sees the consideration given to Youth Apprenticeship, which ultimately makes for better programs. Mr. Wallace said the Council’s dedication would help future eligible employers by setting precedents. Mr. Wallace said the Council asked reasonable questions and brought reasonable consideration. Ms. Roth said she looked at the number of youth apprenticeship eligible employers that were up for approval at this Council meeting and commended Ms. Ramsburg for the 16 youth apprenticeship eligible employer approvals that were on the agenda. Ms. Roth commended the rest of the program staff for the total number of youth apprenticeship employer approvals. Mr. Sackett said he appreciated the coordination between the Maryland Department of Labor and the Maryland State Department of Education as they moved forward together toward a common goal with similar expectations.
A motion to approve items 34 to 65, with the exception of item 62 which was removed from the agenda, was made by Mr. Wilford, and seconded by Mr. Bromley, Mr. Shmelzer abstained and all other Council members voted yea (Mr. Clinedinst, Mr. Klusmann and Mr. Smarte absent).
Request for the approval of All Quality HVAC, LLC to be an eligible employer for the Apprenticeship Maryland Program (Youth) (Sheila Jackson). (Item 35)
See Item 34.
Request for the approval of Harford County Public Schools to be an eligible employer for the Apprenticeship Maryland Program (Youth) (Faith Ramsburg). (Item 36)
See Item 34.
Request for the approval of The Goddard School of Middle River to be an eligible employer for the Apprenticeship Maryland Program (Youth) (Faith Ramsburg). (Item 37)
See Item 34.
Request for the approval of The Goddard School of Forest Hill to be an eligible employer for the Apprenticeship Maryland Program (Youth) (Faith Ramsburg). (Item 38)
See Item 34.
Request for the approval of Jimmy’s Famous Seafood, Inc. to be an eligible employer for the Apprenticeship Maryland Program (Youth) (Faith Ramsburg). (Item 39)
See Item 34.
Request for the approval of Northwest Hospital to be an eligible employer for the Apprenticeship Maryland Program (Youth) (Faith Ramsburg). (Item 40)
See Item 34.
Request for the approval of Sinai Hospital to be an eligible employer for the Apprenticeship Maryland Program (Youth) (Faith Ramsburg). (Item 41)
See Item 34.
Request for the approval of Andrew’s Garage to be an eligible employer for the Apprenticeship Maryland Program (Youth) (Faith Ramsburg). (Item 42)
See Item 34.
Request for the approval of Hoban’s Welding, Inc. to be an eligible employer for the Apprenticeship Maryland Program (Youth) (Faith Ramsburg). (Item 42-A)
See Item 34.
Request for the approval of YMCA of Central Maryland to be an eligible employer for the Apprenticeship Maryland Program (Youth) (Faith Ramsburg). (Item 43)
See Item 34.
Request for the approval of Singer Tire and Auto Center to be an eligible employer for the Apprenticeship Maryland Program (Youth) (Faith Ramsburg). (Item 44)
See Item 34.
Request for the approval of Paramount Die Company to be an eligible employer for the Apprenticeship Maryland Program (Youth) (Faith Ramsburg). (Item 45)
See Item 34.
Request for the approval of East Shore Sound, Inc. to be an eligible employer for the Apprenticeship Maryland Program (Youth) (Faith Ramsburg). (Item 46)
See Item 34.
Request for the approval of Mattingly Electric, Inc. to be an eligible employer for the Apprenticeship Maryland Program (Youth) (Faith Ramsburg). (Item 47)
See Item 34.
Request for the approval of AllPro Auto Body, LLC to be an eligible employer for the Apprenticeship Maryland Program (Youth) (Faith Ramsburg). (Item 48)
See Item 34.
Request for the approval of Klein’s/Shoprite to be an eligible employer for the Apprenticeship Maryland Program (Youth) (Faith Ramsburg). (Item 49)
See Item 34.
Request for the approval of Loper Machine, LLC to be an eligible employer for the Apprenticeship Maryland Program (Youth) (Faith Ramsburg). (Item 50)
See Item 34.
Request for the approval of Truck Enterprises Hagerstown, Inc. to be an eligible employer for the Apprenticeship Maryland Program (Youth) (Jennifer D. Runkles). (Item 51)
See Item 34.
Request for the approval of Innovative, Inc. to be an eligible employer for the Apprenticeship Maryland Program (Youth) (Jennifer D. Runkles). (Item 52)
See Item 34.
Request for the approval of Spicher’s Appliance and Security, Inc. to be an eligible employer for the Apprenticeship Maryland Program (Youth) (Jennifer D. Runkles). (Item 53)
See Item 34.
Request for the approval of Kinetic Collision, LLC to be an eligible employer for the Apprenticeship Maryland Program (Youth) (Jennifer D. Runkles). (Item 54)
See Item 34.
Request for the approval of Saunders Tax and Accounting to be an eligible employer for the Apprenticeship Maryland Program (Youth) (Jennifer D. Runkles). (Item 55)
See Item 34.
Request for the approval of Somerset Fire Alarm and Security, LLC to be an eligible employer for the Apprenticeship Maryland Program (Youth) (Jennifer D. Runkles). (Item 56)
See Item 34.
Request for the approval of Safe Harbor Zahnisers Marina to be an eligible employer for the Apprenticeship Maryland Program (Youth) (Jane Sinclair). (Item 57)
See Item 34.
Request for the approval of Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative to be an eligible employer for the Apprenticeship Maryland Program (Youth) (Jane Sinclair). (Item 58)
See Item 34.
Request for the approval of Compliance Corporation to be an eligible employer for the Apprenticeship Maryland Program (Youth) (Jane Sinclair). (Item 59)
See Item 34.
Request for the approval of Charles County Public Schools to be an eligible employer for the Apprenticeship Maryland Program (Youth) (Jane Sinclair). (Item 60)
See Item 34.
Request for the approval of Reedy Electrical Services, Inc. to be an eligible employer for the Apprenticeship Maryland Program (Youth) (Jane Sinclair). (Item 61)
See Item 34.
Request for the approval of Shore United Bank to be an eligible employer for the Apprenticeship Maryland Program (Youth) (Robert Zimberoff). (Item 62)
This item was removed from the agenda by request of the applicant.
Request for the approval of NightCraft LLC to be an eligible employer for the Apprenticeship Maryland Program (Youth) (Robert Zimberoff). (Item 63)
See Item 34.
Request for the approval of Pohanka of Salisbury, Inc. to be an eligible employer for the Apprenticeship Maryland Program (Youth) (Robert Zimberoff). (Item 64)
See Item 34.
Request for the approval of Angels of Beauty, LLC to be an eligible employer for the Apprenticeship Maryland Program (Youth) (Robert Zimberoff). (Item 65)
See Item 34.

VI. SUPPLEMENTAL AGENDA – NEW BUSINESS

B. PROGRAM REVISIONS

Maryland Manufacturing Extension Partnership (Sheila Jackson) – Request for registration of updated Standards of Apprenticeship to add the new occupation of Manufacturing Cybersecurity Operator. (Item 66)
Ms. Jackson said she was joined by Mike Kelleher and Becky Kemp, the sponsor’s representatives.
A motion to approve this program revision was made by Mr. Shmelzer, seconded by Mr. Bromley and unanimously approved (Mr. Clinedinst, Mr. Klusmann and Mr. Smarte absent).

VII. CLOSING COMMENTS

Chairman Cavey invited Nicholas Burdick, of the U.S. Department of Labor Office of Apprenticeship, to speak. Mr. Burdick said there was an upcoming ACA meeting being hosted in Denver, Colorado. Mr. Burdick invited guests to attend the ACA meeting virtually. Mr. Burdick said a pre-rulemaking was entered into the National Register to change Apprenticeship regulations at the Federal level. Mr. Burdick said details related to the potential new regulations were very limited. Ms. Roth asked Mr. Burdick could characterize the types of changes that might be coming. Mr. Burdick said he could direct Maryland Department of Labor staff to the National Register. Mr. MacLarion said he sent relevant information to Ms. Roth earlier in the day.

Mr. Wallace said the Skills USA 50th annual state championship was coming in March 2023. Mr. Wallace said he expected roughly 1,000 students in Maryland to represent local school districts in CTE-related competitions.

Mr. MacLarion said awarding posthumous completions was one of the most important tasks the Council undertakes and he thanked the Council and sponsors for their consideration. Mr. MacLarion said the Maryland Higher Education recently released a document on articulation, and the role of community colleges and Registered Apprenticeship together. Mr. MacLarion said this was a lengthy document, but worth the attention of Council and other apprenticeship stakeholders. Mr. MacLarion said he shared the document with the apprenticeship community, and offered to share it with anyone who had not yet received it. Ms. Roth said all presidents of two- and four-year colleges received this document, and it generated buzz in the higher education community.

Mr. Rzepkowski reminded Councilmembers to file their ethics forms by April. Mr. Rzepkowski said the Maryland General Assembly Legislative Session was set to open the day after this Council meeting. Mr. Rzepkowski said the next Governor of Maryland was to be sworn in two days after this Council meeting.

VII. ADJOURNMENT

Chairman Cavey entertained a motion to adjourn, Mr. Shmelzer made the motion, Mr. Bromley seconded and the meeting adjourned at 11:39 a.m.

Respectfully Submitted,

Christopher D. MacLarion
Secretary
Maryland Apprenticeship and Training Council