Scaling Workforce Development

Programming In Baltimore

By Linda Dworak

October 2019
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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Foreword and Executive Summary................................................................................... 1

Introduction......................................................................................................................... 4

I. Effectiveness of Industry-Sector Workforce Development Models........................... 6

II. Market Opportunities and Challenges........................................................................ 7

III. Populations Underserved by Current Programs...................................................... 13

IV. Organizational Capacity to Increase Program Scale................................................ 15

V. Issues External to Programs Pose Greatest Barriers to Scale................................. 18

VI. Scale Through Collaboration, Coordination, and Career Pathways....................... 22

VII. Recommendations...................................................................................................... 23

1. Increase Public and Private Investment to Grow What Works........................... 25

2. Create And Enhance Tools and Systems for Greater Effectiveness.................... 29

3. Address Major System Barriers to Scale................................................................ 32

Conclusion........................................................................................................................... 35

Acknowledgements............................................................................................................ 37

References........................................................................................................................... 38

Appendix A........................................................................................................................... 39

Appendix B.......................................................................................................................... 41

Appendix C........................................................................................................................... 42

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Scaling Workforce Development Programming In Baltimore

by Linda Dworak

Foreword and Executive Summary organizations on the front lines of workforce

development in Baltimore were interviewed
Throughout Baltimore, men and women, about their perspectives on increasing the
from young adults to older workers, numbers of individuals served. Currently,
are seeking meaningful employment the nonprofit organizations and community
opportunities that offer family-sustaining colleges in this report collectively provide
wages and support personal well-being. industry sector-based workforce development
Labor markets are tight, meaning that services to approximately 2,700 job seekers
skilled workers are in great demand, and per year. The skills training available is focused
a unique prospect exists to open doors to on 13+ industry sectors and more than 74
quality jobs1, particularly for those who occupational titles. Most of these programs
have faced intractable barriers to such are relatively small, enrolling fewer than 100
opportunity. For this reason, it is now individuals per year. However, many programs
imperative to consider rapid expansion identified labor market forces pointing to
of high-quality workforce development current and projected job openings that could
programs to assist job seekers obtain the be filled by Baltimore residents through an
skills they need. expansion of programming. As detailed in
Executive Summary Table 1, an increased
This paper explores opportunities to scale
investment of $5 million over current funding
up approaches to effective workforce
levels to 16 organizations could rapidly
development programming in Baltimore.
increase the number of residents receiving
In discussing scale, the report is focused on
occupational skills training, supportive
expanding the quantity of services offered
services, and job placement by about 1,000
to reach more individual job seekers.
people annually.
Specifically, it considers the expansion
of comprehensive models that address This report highlights the opportunities and
opportunity gaps through the provision challenges for rapid scaling up of effective
of in-demand occupational skills training, workforce development programs. It begins
industry-recognized certification, intensive with a brief review of local and national
employer engagement, and supportive evidence demonstrating that the industry-
services to mitigate personal and systemic sector workforce development model is
barriers to employment. effective at assisting job seekers to prepare
for and enter the workforce. This model,
To assess the potential for greater scale,
which involves meaningful engagement with
staff from 31 workforce development
employers in a targeted industry sector to
design integrated approaches involving skills
1
  There are many ways to define a “quality job” that vary ac-
cording to the perspectives of individual workers as well as training, supportive services, and employment
factors related to industries, business size, local conditions, placement and retention, has taken root in
etc. Research by Pacific Community Ventures concludes
that elements of a quality job include: a living wage, basic Baltimore with a significant number of well-
benefits, career-building opportunities, wealth-building regarded programs. Studies have shown
opportunities, and a fair and engaging workplace. For more
on this topic, see https://www.pacificcommunityventures. that this approach shows success in aiding
org/quality-jobs/. unemployed and underemployed individuals to
obtain and sustain employment.
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Executive Summary Table 1.

Programs with the Potential For Expansion Within One Year if Funding is Made Available

Cost per Potential

Organization Cost PP * Slots
Participant New Slots

BACH (Medical Assistant) $9,000 15 $135,000

BioTechnical Institute of Maryland $11,400 40 $456,000

CCBC-Workplace Literacy* $5,500 150 $825,000

Civic Works (Stormwater Remediation) $8,000 50 $400,000

Featherstone Foundation $3,750 46 $172,500

Goodwill (building trades) $3,200 10 $32,000

Humanim (Admin Assistant) $5,000 10 $50,000

Lazarus Rite $3,500 60 $210,000

Through expansion of
Living Classrooms N/A 100
public work contracts

Maryland New Directions, Commercial

$1,000 75 $75,000
Transportation Careers Fast Track

NPower $7,500 75 $562,500

Per Scholas $8,000 30 $240,000

St. Vincent de Paul $5,000 40 $200,000

Urban Alliance (hospitality) $6,250 15 $93,750

Urban Alliance (construction and surveyor) $7,500 40 $300,000

Vehicles for Change $12,000 60 $720,000

Year Up (supplement to employer

$7,500 40 $300,000
sponsorships)

Year Up - Byte Back $1,000 120 $120,000

Year Up (adding space) $1,500 80 $120,000

Total 1052 $5,071,750

*CCBC believes that it could expand its Wordplace Literacy programs to serve as additional 500 students per year.
Some subset of these would be Baltimore City Residents. The estimate of 150 used here may be an undercount.

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Next, the report reviews the case for scale Having identified real opportunity in
by looking at Baltimore’s labor market industry-sector demand, interviews with
from both the perspective of the program practitioners provided extensive feedback
staff and a review of labor market data. on the question of how to achieve greater
Concurrent with national trends, the scale of services, emphasizing that without
Baltimore region is experiencing strong careful consideration, an increase in quantity
employment figures. Moreover, a number of services could lead to a related decrease
of factors, such as forthcoming building in quality of services. These practitioner
development projects, plans for large-scale experts offer insights on their strategies for
renewable energy expansion, and projected growth that falls into three main categories:
growth in the information technology (IT) 1) building operational capacity; 2) enhancing
and cybersecurity fields, are among the collaboration, coordination, and career
indicators of job opportunity. These favorable pathways; and 3) addressing systemic barriers
conditions exist alongside historic and present to employment.
systems of isolation and exclusion for many
African American residents of high-poverty The paper draws upon these insights to
neighborhoods where high unemployment offer recommendations for scale that relate
rates persist. The opportunity gap created by to: increasing investment, creating and
this disconnect between demand for skilled enhancing tools and systems to maximize
workers and the thousands of men and opportunities and efficiencies, and addressing
women seeking meaningful work demands system barriers. In summary, these
expansion of workforce development recommendations are outlined below.
interventions embedded with an equity lens.

• Align philanthropic grantmaking.

• Expand use of SNAP E&T funding.
1. Increase public • Create new Baltimore City funding pool to support sector-based
and private workforce development.
investment to grow • Direct more public procurement dollars to vendors that include a
job training and placement mission in their work.
what works
• Encourage and incentivize employers to co-invest.
• Fully fund case management and supportive services.

2. Create and • Increase coordination and alignment of efforts.

enhance tools and • Build data systems to measure participation and impact in workforce
programs.
systems for greater
effectiveness • Create accessible real-time labor market information tools.

Advocate for:
• Transportation policies and solutions;
3. Address major • Adult basic education bridge programs;
systems barriers to • Criminal justice and reentry reform;
scale
• Equitable job quality policies and practices; and
• Reduction of benefits cliff effect.

APPLY AN EQUITY FRAMEWORK TO ALL WORK

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These recommendations are undergirded by a call understand the obstacles and opportunities for
to recognize and address the structural racism scaling up existing industry-sector workforce
that is at the root of persistent poverty and labor initiatives to serve more Baltimore residents.
market disconnect in the Baltimore region. A Additionally, the Baltimore Metropolitan Council
number of reports cited herein document local provided labor market data for Baltimore City
disparities in employment and earnings when and Baltimore County. The goal of this research
race and gender are taken into consideration. is to determine whether or not the local labor
Consequently, an equity lens must be applied to market could absorb more skilled workers, and
each recommendation for allocating resources, if so, what could be done to prepare and place a
developing structures and systems to enable larger number of Baltimore residents into target
growth, and reconfiguring public policies. occupations. Research questions focused on two
core supply/demand questions:
This moment of opportunity, propelled by strong
demand for skilled workers and low regional 1. Is there sufficient labor market demand
unemployment levels, may eventually wane. in industry sectors with occupations that
Therefore, this topic is of utmost importance at pay family-sustaining wages to support the
this point in time and demands action now. It expansion of occupational training for entry-
requires that policymakers, philanthropy, and level job seekers?
private businesses come together with haste
to commit resources, enabling individuals, 2. What is the willingness and readiness of local
communities, and high-quality workforce workforce development initiatives to scale up
development entities to seize upon a uniquely their programs to serve more job seekers?
advantageous chance to succeed at greater scale. What are the programs’ short-term and
The time for collective action is now. long-term plans to expand? What are their
concerns regarding obstacles to expansion?
What organizational and programmatic
needs must be addressed to enable
Introduction expansion?

Baltimore is recognized nationally as a leader

Combined, the occupational skills training
in industry-sector workforce approaches that
programs interviewed serve approximately 2,700
provide unemployed and underemployed
job seekers per year. Most of these programs
Baltimore residents with access to certificate-
are implemented by nonprofit organizations
based occupational skills training, wraparound
and enroll fewer than 100 individuals per year.
supports, and job placement services. The
These organizations are providing training
most effective of these programs garner deep
focused on over 13 industry sectors for more
engagement with employers to meet industry
than 74 occupational titles. The industry sectors
demand for skilled workers in high-demand
targeted by the organizations interviewed
occupations. Yet, while Baltimore’s industry-sector
include: automotive maintenance and repair,
workforce programs are helping to make an
biotechnology, business, child care, construction,
impact, their combined capacity is not at the scale
FIRE (finance, insurance, real estate), food
needed to serve the large number of residents
service/culinary, health care, information
seeking career-oriented employment and the
technology, landscaping, manufacturing,
many employers looking for a ready workforce.
retail, and TDL (transportation, distribution,
In light of this situation, the director of the and logistics). See Appendix A for a list of all
Baltimore Workforce Funders Collaborative occupations for which interviewed organizations
(BWFC) conducted interviews with 31 Baltimore- provide training and placement, and Appendix B for
based workforce entities in late 2018 to better a chart of program enrollment and outcomes data.

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Workforce development organizations interviewed include:

Baltimore Alliance for Careers in Healthcare Living Classrooms

Baltimore City Community College Maryland Center for Adult Training*
Baltimore Mayor's Office of Employment Development Maryland New Directions
BioTechnical Institute of Maryland, Inc. Moveable Feast*
Bon Secours Community Works National Center on Institutions and Alternatives
Caroline Center NPower
CASA de Maryland Per Scholas
CCBC Connections to Employment Program Second Chance
CCBC Health and Human Services St. Vincent de Paul of Baltimore
Center for Urban Families The Foundery*
Civic Works/Baltimore Center for Sustainable Careers Turn Around Tuesdsays/BUILD
Goodwill Industries of the Chesapeake Urban Alliance
Humanim Vehicles for Change
Jane Addams Resource Corporation - Baltimore William & Lanaea C. Featherstone Foundation, Inc.
Job Opportunities Task Force Year Up
Lazarus Rite, Inc.

*Since these interviews took place, the Maryland Center for Adult Training has ceased operations, Moveable Feast has
ceased to offer occupational training, and The Foundery has suspended operations pending identification of a new site.

It is important to note that two community Literacy courses. CCBC’s Workplace Literacy
colleges, Baltimore City Community College courses (described more fully on pages 6-7)
(BCCC) and the Community College of integrate occupational skills training with
Baltimore County (CCBC), provide noncredit math and numeracy remediation as well as
certificate-based occupational training to a student supports.
significant number of area residents. Among
the approximately 15,000 students enrolled In addition to the training programs
in BCCC’s Continuing Education programs, interviewed, several for-profit trade schools
the college provides workforce development offer entry-level occupational training to
classes to approximately 2,200 students Baltimore residents. Given the BWFC’s limited
per year through a combination of direct understanding of the quality and outcomes of
enrollment and co-enrollment with workforce those trade schools, this study does not include
training partners.2 The Community College of a review of their scale and capacity to expand.
Baltimore County (CCBC) on average enrolls This report is organized as follows: I) evidence
32,000 students in continuing education of the effectiveness of an industry-sector
courses each year and serves between 300 workforce development model; II) labor
and 400 Baltimore County and Baltimore City market opportunities for increased scale;
residents annually through its Workplace III) opportunities to reach underserved
populations; IV) building organizational capacity
2
  A portion of the approximately 2,700 individuals trained by
for scale; V) external systems as challenges
the nonprofit programs are duplicate counts for BCCC and to scale; VI) scale through collaboration,
CCBC. This is because some service providers contract the
coordination, and career pathways; and VII)
colleges to provide occupational training as part of their more
comprehensive workforce development programming. recommendations for action.
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Unattributed quotes from interviewees are Various studies have demonstrated the
interspersed throughout this report along with effectiveness of this industry-sector workforce
fuller program highlights that describe strategies development approach, including the Aspen
and innovations developed by Baltimore’s Institute’s Sectoral Employment Development
workforce development community. Learning Project (Maureen Conway 2007), Public/
Private Ventures’ Sectoral Employment Impact
I. Effectiveness of Industry-Sector Study (Sheila Maguire 2009), and MDRC’s 2016
Workforce Development Models two-year impact study of the WorkAdvance
model (Tessler 2013). The evidence-based
Industry-sector workforce development models success of this approach has led to widespread
are widely hailed as effective strategies for uptake by nonprofit workforce providers across
preparing and placing individuals into careers the country, by state and local workforce systems
while addressing real employer need for skilled (Maryland’s EARN program and Baltimore City’s
workers. Typically, the most effective models One Baltimore for Jobs demonstration project
involve seven essential elements: are great examples) and by the U.S. Department
of Labor. Indeed, the 2014 Workforce Innovation
1. Deep engagement with employers and and Opportunity Act, the primary legislation
stakeholders in key industry sectors to guiding federal workforce development funding,
identify and effectively address labor force integrates this sectoral approach.
needs;
Local data provide evidence of the impact
2. A focus on serving job seekers experiencing of sector strategies in Baltimore. Outcomes
multiple barriers in low-income communities data were collected by the BWFC for 1,187
and entry-level incumbent workers; individuals enrolled between 2011 and 2015 in
six industry-sector workforce programs. Data
3. High-quality programming that includes
showed that, among these programs, 70% to
relevant skill development and industry-
90% of participants successfully completed
recognized certifications that are in line with
training and received at least one industry
industry need and requirements;
credential; 72% to 93% of program completers
4. Robust efforts to help job seekers and obtained employment after training; and 68%
incumbent workers address personal to 95% were still employed after six months.
challenges and mitigate structural barriers to Most graduates obtained a job with a starting
employment that are beyond one individual’s wage of $12 to $18/hour. More than 80% of
control and disproportionately impact people the individuals tracked through this study were
of color and women; unemployed at the time of enrollment; 68%
of the participants had a high school diploma/
5. Rigorous job placement and post-program GED or less as their highest level of education;
follow-up services; and more than half of participants had a
criminal background that could limit access to
6. A focus on systems change efforts that work
quality employment opportunities (Baltimore
to address policies and practices that impede
Workforce Funders Collaborative 2017).
access to family-supporting jobs, particularly
for people of color and women; and In 2012-2013, the Jacob France Institute (JFI)
at the University of Baltimore documented
7. Commitment to analysis of performance
wage gains associated with two local sectoral
data and directing resources to practices and
programs. JFI used Maryland Unemployment
programs that demonstrate effectiveness.
Insurance (UI) data on wages, employment, and
industry to look at wage outcomes for graduates
of Project JumpStart (pre-apprenticeship

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construction) and the BioTechnical Institute of With some of the nation’s most renowned
Maryland (laboratory associates). This study hospitals, medical schools, and universities,
provided evidence of strong and substantial Baltimore’s labor market is dominated by
wage gains of 90% to 160% above pre-program employment in the health care and higher
wages and a strengthened attachment to the education sectors. The so-called “eds and
labor market over time. For both JumpStart meds,” which are anchored in Baltimore, have
and BTI, estimated wage gains in the first-year committed to expanding local hiring through
post completion exceeded program costs, efforts such as the Baltimore Integration
making the case that these programs are a Partnership and Hopkins Local. In particular,
good investment (Baltimore Workforce Funders the health care sector projects continued
Collaborative 2017). In 2018, BWFC began to employment growth in future years.
work with the Jacob France Institute and 19
local organizations in a similar wage record Mid-Maryland also is home to a high
study with initial findings expected by early 2020. concentration of defense contractors, making
the region a hub for cybersecurity. As a result,
local job openings in the IT sector are growing.
II. Market Opportunities and
In 2018, Baltimore-area advertisements for
Challenges IT-related jobs increased by 39% over 2017,
up to 49,508 postings (Babcock n.d.). These
“Training has to be driven by the market, not by numbers are expected to grow larger as new
the capacity of a provider. Some organizations development at Port Covington includes plans
approach scale by simply ratcheting up the to build “Cyber Town, USA,” a hub for dozens of
number of people they put through the training cyber and tech companies.
that they know how to do or for which they
have equipment, like training incarcerated Moreover, Baltimore’s location in the center of
individuals for printing jobs. We should not be the East Coast positions the city for expanding
teaching something that is obsolete.” – Workforce e-commerce and transportation, distribution,
development practitioner and logistics employment. The deep-water Port
of Baltimore has been growing, and Baltimore
The mid-Atlantic region is one of the most robust is home to highways and railroads connecting
economic hubs in the country, with strong labor the city to all parts of the United States.
markets, wages, and business growth. Baltimore As a major logistical hub for domestic and
benefits from robust employment opportunities international trade, the region has a growing
in a number of sectors such as health care, number of warehousing and logistics jobs at
information technology, construction, and locations such as the emerging Tradepoint
transportation and distribution. Atlantic distribution hub.

PROGRAM HIGHLIGHT

The Jane Addams Resource Corporation (JARC) is anticipating a rapid increase in

demand for welders associated with off-shore wind operations. The organization
predicts that the $2.5 billion offshore wind project (including $900 million for welding
work) will involve 4,000 new jobs over a 15-year period. Maryland has set a goal
of 48% of work to be done by state contractors. According to program staff, “JARC
graduates will be eligible for $20/hour starting wages, others with some experience
will earn around $30/hour. This will suck up all of the welders in the region, creating
demand in other construction projects.” Through a contract with the Maryland
Energy Administration, JARC is beginning to train unemployed and underemployed
job seekers to prepare for these upcoming opportunities.
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Because of growth in these sectors, a number of large and small construction/development projects
are underway or on the horizon, including development at Port Covington, Tradepoint Atlantic,
Bayview Hospital, and more. These projects will increase the demand for skilled building trades
workers. Additionally, the development of offshore wind is projected to create a large number of
new jobs: “In total, the [offshore wind] projects have the potential to create over 7,000 new, largely
blue-collar jobs, in fields such as welding, engineering, electrical work, and others (Milligan 2019).”

Figure 1:
Projected Demand Compared to Typical Annual Enrollment for Some Baltimore Training Programs

2018-2028 Current
2018 - 2028 2018 - 2028
Organization 2018 Jobs 2028 Jobs Replacement typical annual
% Change Openings
Jobs enrollment

Automotive Body and Related Repairers 733 814 11% 731 812

Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics 3,058 2,989 (2%) 2,773 2,845

Vehicles for Change Auto Tech Training 43

Clinical Laboratory Technologists and Technicians 3,174 3,425 8% 2,016 2,267

Life, Physical, and Social Science Technicians, All Other 423 474 12% 517 568

BTI Lab Associates Program 44

Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical 20,412 19,463 (5%) 21,142 21,277

First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support 11,493 11,441 (0%) 11,125 11,223

Humanim Admin Assistant Training 30

Construction Laborers 5,557 6,073 9% 5,884 6,406

Painters, Construction and Maintenance 1,388 1,363 (2%) 1,155 1,190

JumpStart and Goodwill Pre-Apprenticeship Construction 131

Surveryors 223 227 2% 157 167

UA Land Surveyor Training 12

Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators 70 67 (4%) 72 73

Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers 575 620 8% 630 677

JARC Welding Program 33

Food Preparation Workers 4,446 4,553 2% 7,533 7,643

Cooks 17,777 18,180 5% 31,648 32,104

Moveable Feast, St. Vincent de Paul Culinary training 179

Nursing Assistants 9,707 10,407 7% 11,151 11,851

Caroline Center, Goodwill Pharm Tech Training 271

Pharmacy Technicians 2,339 2,382 2% 1,812 1,868

Caroline Center, Goodwill Pharm Tech Training 96

Computer User Support Specialists 2,934 3,281 12% 2,242 2,589

Goodwill, Per Scholas, NPower Entry Level IT 259

Light Truck of Delivery Services Drivers 5,421 5,682 5% 5,859 6,120

Bus Drivers 4,208 4,279 2% 5,052 5,191

Lazarus Rite, MND CDL Training 128

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The following are examples of programs reporting that if additional resources were available,
they could expand now to meet the needs of identified employers and job seekers.

The BioTechnical Institute (BTI) reports that the bio-technical industry is expanding in the Baltimore
region and looking for entry-level laboratory talent in bio-manufacturing, bio-research, and clinical
settings. BTI states that it could double the size of its Laboratory Associates program, adding 40
new slots per year by offering new evening classes at a cost of approximately $456,000. And it could
further expand by building new pathways to medical technician and pathology careers. To make this
possible, BTI needs additional funding for training. Further expansion beyond these 40 new slots
would require BTI to acquire more classroom space and to gain help in developing transportation
solutions to enable residents of predominantly black Baltimore City communities to commute to the
growing number of bio-tech jobs located outside of Baltimore City in surrounding counties.

The advanced automotive training program at Vehicles for Change’s Full Circle Auto Repair &
Training Center currently trains 30 to 40 returning citizens per year. Vehicles for Change reports
that completion and job placement rates are close to 100%. Due to the “astronomical” industry
demand for auto mechanics and technicians, the program believes it could place many more
graduates into jobs that pay a sustainable wage. The impact of the program is significant in that it
helps individuals reenter society after incarceration. Recently, the organization launched an entry-
level training program that bridges into the advanced skills training. Demand from job seekers for
this program also exceeds available training slots. If it were able to secure approximately $720,000
in additional funds, Vehicles for Change could add a second training shift to open 60 new slots in
the advanced program and would grow the entry-level program.
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The Community College of Baltimore County (CCBC) sees opportunities for exponential
expansion of Workforce Literacy programs with demonstrated completion and job attachment
rates that significantly exceed traditional noncredit community college models. CCBC’s Workforce
Literacy program provides holistic training and education, based on Baltimore County’s Accelerated
Connections to Employment (ACE) program model. Students receive integrated occupational skills
training with math and numeracy remediation. The approach utilizes an intake methodology
that includes three hours of adult literacy assessments, while providing 10 to 12 hours of pre-
enrollment workshops, including anger management, time management, College 101, work
readiness, and team development. Once enrolled, students receive customized supportive services,
case management, basic computers, technical training, financial literacy, and employment-
readiness training. With an additional annual infusion of approximately $2.7 million, CCBC states
that it has the potential to add up to 500 new slots for Baltimore County and Baltimore City
residents for a range of high-demand occupations.

NPower is an IT training program focused on Opportunity Youth, or youth ages 18 to 24 years

old who are out of school and out of work. NPower has an aggressive plan to expand the number
of young adults it serves in the Delaware-Maryland-Virginia region. This includes expanding its
Baltimore Tech Fundamentals course and adding a cybersecurity class, potentially increasing
the numbers of students served in Baltimore by 75 per year at a cost of approximately $563,000.
Additionally, NPower is working with the Maryland State Department of Labor to develop an IT
Apprenticeship.

Lazarus Rite is a program designed to extend employment opportunities to adults who were
formerly incarcerated as licensed commercial drivers, specifically in the waste management
industry where barriers to employment for individuals with past felonies are minimal. The
program is very small in scale, offering CDL-B training to approximately 30 individuals per year,
and is staffed primarily by volunteers. The founders of Lazarus Rite believe that many more
individuals could benefit from the program, helping to address a shortage of drivers as waste
management workers retire and as Baltimore grows as a hub for the transportation of goods.
To maximize this opportunity, Lazarus Rite would need to be able to provide CDL-A training,
which would require acquisition of a truck for training and a qualified instructor. It would also
need to raise funds to bring volunteer program leaders on as paid staff and further develop as
an organization.

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These regional employment prospects offer Some sectoral workforce programs seem to
the potential to prepare more Baltimore City lack good labor market information about
residents for jobs by growing skills-training occupational demand and career pathways.
programs and/or expanding other workforce Programs operating in the same sector,
development efforts. particularly construction and IT, had conflicting
impressions of the level of demand at the
Ten of the occupational training programs entry level, suggesting that decision-making
interviewed reported that they recruit more is not always well-informed by quality labor
qualified candidates than they have training market information that includes both
slots. This offers an immediate opportunity regional employment data and feedback from
for increased scale which could be met by employers involved in the workforce program.
expanding the number of individuals that
these organizations can serve or by building Even with good labor market data, however,
improved avenues to refer qualified clients to it is difficult to project future demand with
training provided by other local organizations. accuracy. There is strong hope that new jobs
will be created at Tradepoint Atlantic and Port
Despite apparent industry opportunities, Covington including Cyber Town, USA, and with
a few challenges related to understanding the development of offshore wind. Additional
and acting upon labor-market needs demand will be driven by the aging out of
surfaced through interviews with workforce skilled workers as they approach retirement.
development organizations. Although programs foresee the need to scale
up training to prepare for future labor market

Figure 2:
Programs with Waitlists, by Occupation

Programs reporting that they currently turn away

or wait list qualified candidates dues to a lack of Occupation
training slots

BioTechnical Institute of Maryland Laboratory associates

Caroline Center CNA/GNA and pharmacy technicians

Civic Works Weatherization

Featherstone Foundation Bilingual retail banking

Goodwill Industries of the Chesapeake Pharmacy technicians

Humanim Administrative assistants

Jane Addams Resource Corporation Welders and machinists

Lazarus Rite Commercial drivers

Urban Alliance Construction and hospitality

Vehicles for Change Automotive repair technicians

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demand, there is no guarantee that these jobs training for entry-level jobs. The unintended
will come on line soon or that individuals from consequence of focusing on immediate
communities of color will be hired to fill vacant employment solutions is that residents—and
positions. Getting the timing right to balance disproportionately, people of color—languish
training for future jobs is complicated. It is in entry-level jobs. Helping low-wage workers
also important to note that at the time of this move up to in-demand mid-skill occupations
research, unemployment rates in the United requires a longer-term view with strategies
States are at a 50-year low, presenting a sense of that involve transitions from entry-level
opportunity and optimism as employers compete training to further post-secondary education
to attract and retain workers. However, current including associate degrees, apprenticeships,
unemployment rates are still much higher for and other forms of incumbent worker training.
people of color. Furthermore, many economists
predict a recession on the near horizon. Should In its Family Supporting Jobs Report 2018, the
this come to pass, workforce development Baltimore Metropolitan Council highlights
organizations will need to respond with agility. this issue: “Family-supporting jobs represent
Better information about projected trends may 13.8% of our region’s labor market demand
provide some degree of help in navigating over the next decade. This figure puts our
changing market situations. region in the top half of our peers nationally.
Our research indicates that family-supporting
In several industries, there is strong current jobs will shift away from manufacturing and
and projected future demand for talent at the utilities towards sectors like information
mid-skill level where jobs can reach family- technology, bioscience and healthcare.
sustaining wages. This is particularly true for Wholesale industries see the largest
construction where there is a shortage of increase in their share of the labor market.
supervisors, managers, and licensed tradesmen, Construction will remain the sector with the
as well as IT, where there is local demand for most opportunity to earn a family-supporting
skilled workers for the cybersecurity sector wage. While roughly three quarters of our
affiliated with Maryland’s cluster of defense- family-supporting jobs have a typical entry-
related employers. These opportunities also pose level of education of only a high school
challenges for a local workforce system that diploma, it is important to note that wages
is geared more toward providing job seekers typically rise with educational attainment.
experiencing multiple barriers with short-term Within the universe of family-supporting jobs,

PROGRAM HIGHLIGHT

Goodwill Industries of the Chesapeake is working with the North America’s Building Trades
Unions’ C.H.O.I.C.E program and the United Way of Central Maryland to pilot an initiative to
prepare Baltimore City residents to apply for, enter, and successfully complete a building trades
apprenticeship program. This pre-apprenticeship program uses a Multi-Craft Core Curriculum
developed by in coordination with 28 local unions in the greater Baltimore/Washington, DC/
Northern Virginia region. All students who complete the course and pass an apprenticeship
exam are guaranteed entry into a union apprenticeship in one of many building trades. Given
the demand for skilled tradespersons, Goodwill sees great opportunities to bring the pilot
program to greater scale. In the immediate future, Goodwill could add 10 slots to the small
pilot at a cost of approximately $32,000.

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the attainment of an Associate’s degree is inequitable employment patterns. Efforts that

the greatest predictor of increased earnings encourage employers to adopt equitable and
(Baltimore Metropolitan Council 2018).” high-road employment practices; organize
and empower workers; and engage in policy
Beyond questions of supply and demand, advocacy around wages, benefits, and the
it is important to pay attention to factors structure of work are an important part of
related to earnings potential, job quality, the larger effort to create a more robust and
and racial and gender equity. As presented equitable employment landscape in Baltimore.
in a report published by Associated Black
Charities, “Patterns of Employment by Race
III. Populations Underserved By
in Baltimore City and the Baltimore Region,”
African American employment in Baltimore
Current Programs
is concentrated in lower-wage industries Currently there is no unified system that can
and occupations with high turnover rates (Li accurately report on how many Baltimore
2017). In considering opportunities to grow residents are being served by occupational
existing programs, the question as to whether skills training programs in Baltimore, what
current workforce development efforts sustain their demographics are, or how they fare with
or interrupt this dynamic must be asked. regard to employment outcomes. Without
Another necessary consideration is whether such data, it is difficult to fully assess the
constant high industry demand for workers opportunities to scale up job-training efforts.
in an occupation is a sign that this occupation For this report, interviewees were asked to
is undesirable due to low wages and benefits submit information about the number of
or other working conditions. Just because individuals served in a typical year. Collectively,
programs can train and place more individuals they train approximately 2,700 job seekers
for an occupation does not mean it is the best annually. But this number is inexact and misses
use of scarce resources if such jobs do not lead participants of programs not interviewed.
to family-sustaining careers and/or perpetuate

PROGRAM HIGHLIGHT

The Baltimore Alliance for Careers in Healthcare (BACH) holds annual meetings
with all its employer partners specifically to identify industry need for occupational
training. At the recent meeting, several employers prioritized the need for licensed
medical assistants. Together, BACH and the CCBC see potential for establishing an
apprenticeship model to move individuals already trained for entry-level CNA/GNA
positions to this higher paying occupation. CCBC has offered to run courses to meet
the employer needs, but medical assistants require a full year of training while much
of BACH’s current funding is designated for shorter-term programs. BACH is also
working in partnership with one local long-term care facility to develop a registered
apprenticeship that would move CNA/GNAs up to Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN).
The Caroline Center, which serves as a training provider for BACH-funded CNA/GNA
occupations, notes that a number of individuals enrolled in nursing assistant training
demonstrate the potential to complete LPN or Registered Nurse (RN) nursing programs
if given the right level of financial and wraparound support.
 14

Figure 3:
Examples of Baltimore-Based Efforts to Address The Quality of Employment in Baltimore

Initiative/ Description
Strategy
Organization

A collaboration of Baltimore-area business

leaders, workforce experts, and community-based
Encourage organizations committed to improving equitable
employers to access to family-sustaining careers, strengthening
Good Business
adopt high-road the local business and economic landscape, and
Works (GBW)
employment helping communities thrive. GBW recognizes and
practices supports businesses throughout the Baltimore
region that are leaders in job quality and committed
to working toward continual improvement.

A broad-based, nonpartisan, interfaith, multiracial

community power organization rooted in
Baltimore’s neighborhoods and congregations.
B.U.I.L.D. BUILD works to identify and develop community
leaders who work together to improve housing,
increase job opportunities, and rebuild schools and
neighborhoods.

Organize and
empower workers An effort to build the grassroots power of Black
workers to increase access to quality and living
wage jobs; end discrimination in the workplace;
redefine the meaning and possibilities of work;
Baltimore Black
and advance a solidarity economy in Baltimore
Worker Center
City led by black workers (whether through
unionization, policy reform, survival programs,
worker-cooperatives, and/or grassroots issue-based
campaigns).

An advocacy organization established to develop

Job and advocate for policies and programs to increase
Opportunities
the skills, job opportunities, and incomes of low-
Task Force
wage workers and job seekers in Maryland.

Policy advocacy
addressing wages, A civil legal aid office that provides advice and
representation to low-income clients, advocates
benefits, and the
before legislatures and government agencies,
structure of work and collaborates with community and advocacy
Public Justice organizations. PJC’s Workplace Justice Project works
Center primarily with low-wage workers to enforce and
expand their right to an honest day’s pay for an
honest day’s work, utilizing a variety of strategies
including: legislative; regulatory; and other policy
advocacy, litigation, and coalition development.

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The BWFC is working in partnership with the who have little to no experience in the world of
Baltimore Workforce Development Board work, indicating a need for alternative, well-
to build a data warehouse that will provide financed youth-specific strategies. Moving
a more comprehensive understanding of forward, some indicated a preference to focus
the scope and impact of services. This work more on adults while others will continue
is likely to surface organizational level need to hone a youth-oriented approach. Other
for capacity building in data collection, programs that have not yet served youth are
management, and analysis. anxious to give it a try, partly because they see
funding opportunities to support that work.
“We would like to do more analysis. We don’t
have the staffing to do real analysis of our clients “Historically, younger students graduate at the
on a yearly basis to see what is working for our same rate but leave employment often before
clients. We do it ad hoc. It’s tough to find grants six months. Our training staff pushes back [on
for that.” – Workforce development practitioner enrolling youth], they are concerned about
ruining employer relationships. We are trying
For this report, interviewees were asked to additional supports [for youth].” – Workforce
consider whether there were any groups of development practitioner
job seekers to which they would like to extend
expanded enrollment opportunities. Most
IV. Organizational Capacity to
commonly, they spoke of a desire to reach out
to more young adults and veterans. Those
Increase Program Scale
who hoped to target services to veterans Through interviews, organizations were
stated that they were not sure how to recruit asked about their organizational readiness
from that demographic group or what types and willingness to increase the scale of their
of programmatic adaptations might be programs. Their responses included references
needed to serve them well. Other groups to the breadth of programmatic elements
that are a potential focus of growth for some that result in their ability to serve job seekers.
organizations include: immigrants, asylees Three programmatic components surfaced as
and English language learners (ELL), returning being most critical to the prospect of increased
citizens/ex-offenders, males or females scale: 1) high-quality skills training; 2) strong
in nontraditional careers, individuals with employer/industry sector engagement; and
disabilities, and low-income adults residing 3) intensive case management and barrier
outside Baltimore City limits. remediation. Expansion would require
organizations to have the capacity to grow
Several interviewees noted a compelling need
these components, requiring adequate
to serve graduating high school youth and
planning and funding.
opportunity youth (ages 18-24), but programs
had varied views on their ability to serve this Given the importance of maintaining the
group. Several traditionally adult-serving intensity and quality of these elements, many
programs have experimented with serving organizations with a track record of success
youth through the One Baltimore for Jobs are very cautious about growth. Throughout
(1B4J) demonstration project (2015-2017) or the interviews that inform this report, program
through Baltimore Promise’s Grads2Careers leaders often noted that when workforce
initiative (ongoing). Both pilots have resulted initiatives try to grow too quickly without
in completion rates for youth that are deliberate planning, necessary resources, or
consistent with those of adults. However, increased organizational capacity, there is a risk
several of these same programs pointed to a of weakened quality of service that could result
unique set of challenges faced by young adults
 16

in less robust participant outcomes. For programs redirect their efforts toward incumbent
that rely on grant funding, this poses real cause for worker training and advancement.
thoughtful and sometimes constrained growth.
Undeniably, the quality of occupational and
“The actual work of expansion is a grind…It’s work-readiness skills training is at the heart
important not to grow too fast. In order to maintain of an effective program. Programs that place
the quality of the work, you need to focus effort their graduates into jobs where they succeed
and funding on operations—not just training. are designed to offer the skills, industry-
This includes operational capacity for things like recognized certifications, and exposure to
documenting and learning from what is working and work that employers need and require. This
what does not go so well. You also need LOTS of staff depends upon the development of a high-
development training, especially for the front-line quality curriculum as well as the ability to hire
staff.” – Workforce development practitioner skilled instructors with deep industry knowledge
and a commitment to the social and equity
mission of the organization. One interviewee
Similarly, many workforce development
referred to these instructors as a “magic group
organizations understand the need to be nimble
of people.” For many programs, the difficulty in
and adaptive to change. When labor markets
identifying, retaining, and paying adequately for
are tight, as they are at the time of the writing
skilled instructors is a key limitation to increased
of this report, opportunities for expansion seem
scale. Similarly, programs that seek to simulate
abundant. However, market conditions are
a workplace environment for their programs
always in flux and the possibility of recessionary
need the right space and equipment, and those
conditions could eventually limit the ability of
that include work experiences such as paid
programs to place graduates at current rates.
internships would need to identify additional
When demand for labor is weaker, workforce
sites to maintain this critical aspect of their
development programs often scale back or
training approach.

PROGRAM HIGHLIGHT

Civic Works’ Center for Sustainable Careers has a strong track record of preparing job
seekers for jobs in green construction trades. Its successes are due to an approach that
goes far beyond just being a provider of training. The individual job seekers assisted by
Civic Works often face significant personal and systemic barriers to employment related
to criminal histories, racial and gender bias, transportation challenges, and much more.
Beyond providing access to certificate-bearing training, Civic Works helps clients to
mitigate these barriers through high-touch case management, policy advocacy, and
deep employer engagement. The Center works closely with employer partners, using
its role as a procurement intermediary to influence business practices and advance
job-quality standards in the green construction, retail, and restaurant industries. Civic
Works believes that it is positioned to expand the scale of its services to reach more
job seekers. To ensure the quality of its work, it has set a modest but steady goal of
expanding enrollment at the Center for Sustainable Careers by 10% every year. In the
past five years, Civic Works has doubled its number of trainees at the Center, from 60 in
2014-2015 to 120 in 2019, holding to the tenant that it is wise to grow at a slow pace.

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“There are not enough instructors—we don’t “We have great employer partners… we know
have a bench…it’s hard to find folks that match.” what they need. They tell us upfront. Students
– Workforce development practitioner who complete are really excited to work and
employers always want more graduates.”
To expand at scale, it is likely that programs will – Workforce development practitioner
need to broaden and deepen their employer
relationships. Strong employer relationships Similarly, increased scale will require expansion
in an industry sector are the cornerstone of of client supports that accompany skills
effective industry-sector workforce development. training. Organizations interviewed consider
Deep and meaningful engagement ensures that that the success of their workforce efforts lies
programming meets real industry need, and heavily on their ability to provide intensive
allows for placement into paid work experiences case management, trauma-informed care, and
(such as internships) and jobs. The work of high-touch barrier remediation services. These
building and sustaining employer partnerships services contribute significantly to building
is time- and staff-intensive. Organizations with what employers perceive as basic job readiness
strong employer relationships may provide or soft skills. For example, behavior related
these partners with multiple services such as to unaddressed trauma may be interpreted
opportunities to network with employers in their by an employer as poor work ethic. Tardiness
sector, assessment of industry hiring needs, related to lack of reliable transportation may
providing or brokering incumbent worker or be viewed by an employer as irresponsibility.
new entrant training services, development At a minimum, case managers support
of career advancement maps, screening and job seekers by conducting assessments,
referral of job candidates, and more. In turn, developing individualized service plans,
deeply engaged employer partners participate assisting with career planning, and motivating
in the work of workforce development by and supporting program participants as they
contributing regularly to strategic decision- progress through training and job placement.
making; providing resources such as funding, But many of the organizations interviewed
classroom space, equipment, or guest also take significant steps to help job seekers
instructors; hiring individuals and offering become ready for employment by addressing
other forms of work experience such as paid deeper, underlying factors that could inhibit
internships; working to improve their own success. This can mean providing counseling
internal employment policies and practices to to a grieving job seeker who has been touched
address racial and gender equity or improve by violence or spending a day in court helping
job quality; and/or engaging with programs an individual get a suspended driver’s license
in efforts to change external policies to help reinstated. One interviewee cautioned that
eliminate barriers to employment (such as “you don’t commonly find that level of high-
advocating for transportation solutions or touch service in programs that are taken to
expungement policies). scale.” These essential services are critical
to this work, but often suffer from lack of
“During a cohort, trainees get to work with funding. Several interviewees expressed a
employers. Employer panels give them exposure. priority need to expand case management
Employers are invited to speak to the class. capacity before taking on more participants,
This helps initiate job placement relationships. indicating that case management caseloads
[Our organization] has a great reputation with are already too large. The ideal ratio of case
employers. They want our interns because they managers to clients and cost of service varies
know this will give them first dibs on good by program structure and client need.
candidates. Employers call us to tell us what their
needs are.” – Workforce development practitioner
 18

The three systemic barriers to scale that were most often

cited by workforce practitioners interviewed were related to
transportation, adult basic educational needs, and job quality.

“It’s really good to look at market drivers and the “There is a whole population of residents that
employment market but the success of good sectoral can’t access opportunities for one reason or
training models depends not only on employer/ another.” – Workforce development practitioner
industry strategy but also and equally on the
ability to provide high touch case management.” The lack of reliable and affordable
– Workforce development practitioner transportation to jobs is one of the greatest
obstacles to scaling up training programs.
“Funders will fund enrollment and completion Programs know that they can train and place
but don’t always fund the other activities that a greater number of program graduates, but
are needed. Organizations struggle with the staff they limit expansion knowing that graduates
they need to get the work done... [Organizations will be unable to get to their new jobs. A
are] always overworking their team.” – Workforce number of programs reported that job growth
development practitioner in their target industry sector is concentrated in
surrounding counties and/or is not accessible
by public transportation, a problem that
“In order to expand we would need one more particularly impacts the most economically
case manager who could specialize in particular distressed neighborhoods of Baltimore. The
barriers such as housing. Case management is very Central Maryland Transportation Alliance’s
draining. The problem with grants is that we have transportation report gives the Central
to decide whether to keep a case manager or add a Maryland region a failing grade for job access
job developer. The dollars don’t add up to meet the by transit, stating that a typical Baltimorean
real costs…we are always leveraging staff between can only get to 9% of the region’s jobs in under
different programs to make it work.” – Workforce an hour using public transportation (Central
development practitioner Maryland Transportation Alliance 2017). Where
public transit does exist, it may operate on
V. Issues External to Programs Pose schedules that do not match with shift work
or require multiple transfers, making trips
Greatest Barriers to Scale
inordinately long. Furthermore, many workers
Some of the greatest perceived impediments lack access to functional vehicles, affordable
to increasing the number of job seekers served auto insurance, and driver’s licenses. Some
through occupational training programs are interviewees noted that these systemic
external and systemic. Tackling these barriers transportation barriers are racialized, most
requires intervention that reaches out beyond severely impacting residents of majority black
the provision of direct client services. The three neighborhoods. Therefore, efforts to increase
systemic barriers to scale that were most often the number of Baltimore residents who have
cited by workforce practitioners interviewed access to family-sustaining employment require
were related to transportation, adult basic solutions based in policy and employer practice.
educational needs, and job quality. Employers who want to attract and retain

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employees should work on solutions with Many interviewees stated that low literacy
training providers through approaches such as and numeracy levels pose the greatest
subsidized vans/ride shares, shuttles, etc. They obstacle to increasing enrollment. Eligibility
should also join forces with advocacy efforts to for participation in many occupational training
influence transportation policies and allocation programs mandates a minimum score on a basic
of public resources in order to interrupt educational skills test. In sync with employer
long-standing practices that geographically requirements, many programs also require a
marginalize communities of color. High School Diploma or GED. Yet, almost one
in five African American Baltimore residents
“Employers often complain that workers don’t over the age of 25 lack a High School Diploma
come in on time, but it’s because they are dealing (American Community Survey 2017). When
with the transportation issue. And buses don’t assessed, far too many training applicants
work for the night shift. Folks find themselves do not meet minimum math and numeracy
waiting outside at night for buses.” – Workforce requirements regardless of whether they have
development practitioner completed a high school diploma or equivalency.

The following are examples of transportation barriers to scale cited by interviewees.

St. Vincent De Paul’s Next Course culinary program sees many opportunities in food packaging,
but the jobs are in Jessup, Maryland, and transportation is an issue.

Goodwill Industries of the Chesapeake sees expanding demand for IT workers in surrounding
counties, but its graduates cannot get to the jobs.

Civic Works’ Center for Sustainable Careers sees regional job openings in stormwater
remediation, but they are not in Baltimore City and are not transit accessible.

CASA de Maryland reports that transportation is the largest issue limiting growth. Most work
opportunities are outside of the city. Where possible, staff try to coordinate with employers to meet
workers at a train station. For new immigrants and refugees served by the organization, navigating
the public bus system is particularly challenging.

The BioTechnical Institute of Maryland reports a growing number of entry-level laboratory jobs,
but they are not transit accessible. Most participants have child care responsibilities and must work
in a location where they can return to their child’s school in case of emergency.

Project Jumpstart could place more people into construction jobs, where project-based work roves
from location to location, if everyone had a car.
 20

Figure 4:
Programs Reporting Unmet Entry Requirements, by Occupation

Programs reporting high demand for training

from individuals who do not meet entrance Occupation
requirements

Bon Secours Community Works CNA/GNA and patient care technicians

Caroline Center CNA/GNA and pharmacy technicians

Civic Works Specialized construction occupations

Goodwill Industries of the Chesapeake Building trades apprentices

Humanim Adminstrative assistants

Maryland New Directions TDL and hospitality occupations

NPower Entry-level IT careers

“One of the largest barriers outside of transportation adult educational needs are being piloted but
is related to TABE [Test of Adult Basic Education3] remain vastly insufficient in scale. In 2018,
scores. It is hard to find individuals for high skill-level the South Baltimore Learning Center worked
opportunities. Many are not at a point where they with seven Baltimore workforce development
can go on a worksite where they can be successful. organizations to design and pilot customized
We get lots of people with a high school diploma pre-training Adult Basic Education (ABE) bridge
and low-level skills in the 4th grade range… People programs, which included: the BioTechnical
are disappointed to hear how low they score. [Our Institute of Maryland, Bon Secours Community
organization] puts two remedial state-certified Works, Civic Works, the Jane Addams Resource
teachers on staff to help people raise the TABE Corporation, Job Opportunities Taskforce-
scores. They TABE test 250 people to find 20... [it’s] JumpStart, Maryland Center for Adult Training
heartbreaking.” – Workforce development practitioner (MCAT), and NPower. Each new bridge program
included instruction that was contextualized
This situation points to the critical need for to the industry for which occupational skills
expansion of contextualized Adult Basic Education training is provided. During the pilot phase,
bridge programs that can remediate educational 56 job seekers were served. On average,
needs and connect directly to industry-sector students gained 2.6 levels in reading and four
workforce programs. Some organizations have levels in math over an average of 30.5 hours of
built pre-training academic bridges into their instruction. The pilot provided lessons that can
programs. Other small pilots that extend these lay the groundwork for the development and
bridges to individuals with even more acute funding of future efforts.

It is also worth noting the ongoing debate

3
  The Test of Adult Basic Education (TABE) is used by many Balti-
more-based occupational skills training programs to assess literacy about basic educational skills strategies. There
and numeracy skills of prospective students. This assessment is are arguments for intensely focusing efforts
used to diagnose learning needs and, for some programs, is used
to determine eligibility to participate in training. on equipping more Baltimore residents with

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high school diplomas required for career benefits, as workers earn just enough income
advancement rather that expanding shorter- to exceed the maximum income allowed to
term bridges to entry-level employment. On still receive public benefits, thereby impeding
the other hand, some argue for efforts to the ability to exit poverty. Due to this “benefits
move employers away from the practice of cliff,” low-wage employment that results in the
requiring high school diplomas and college precipitous loss of subsidies for housing, child
degrees when such a credential does not care, or health benefits may have a neutral or
necessarily translate to needed skills and even negative impact on total family stability
serves to perpetuate racial disparities. and income.

The scaling up of existing workforce programs “Benefits cliff issues are big. Housing costs go
is further constrained by concerns about the up as soon as they get a job and lose benefits.
quality of available jobs, particularly with Pending garnishments also happen right away
regard to wages. Within the same occupational out of first paychecks. Child care issues and
categories, there can be significant variation expenses arise once they are employed. [Our
in factors such as pay rates, access to agency] tries to prepare folks for this reality, but
employer-sponsored benefits, workplace it’s exhausting for anyone to handle all of this.”
culture, and opportunities for advancement. – Workforce development practitioner
Workforce organizations may reject placement
opportunities that do not appear to lead
Organizations such as the nonprofit Public
their graduates to family self-sufficiency. In
Justice Center (PJC) are working to respond
particular, the problem of job quality arises for
to this issue. The PJC assists health care
some programs that target industries where
training programs with presentations to
employers hire new staff through temporary
current and former participants on workers’
agencies that pay below the standard rate
and tenants’ rights. These presentations
for an occupation. Programs that train for
have led to numerous referrals to the PJC,
entry-level occupations in health care and
as well as other organizations and firms,
warehousing reported a particular struggle
for various wage theft and housing issues,
with job quality concerns and may turn away
particularly related to home health aides.
some lower-wage employers seeking to hire
Through individual and group cases, the
home health workers, nursing assistants, or
PJC provides front-line workers in a range of
warehouse workers from among their clients.
industries such as construction, health care,
and hospitality with free legal representation,
“[We] will turn away employers that lowball. resulting in recovered unpaid wages and
We teach what is a fair wage.” – Workforce the establishment of legal precedent and
development practitioner procedure on behalf of workers. Workforce
partner organizations sometimes contact the
“People are working and it’s hard. $11/hour, PJC when they suspect that an employer is
the EARN threshold, is not enough to live on. violating the law. Further, workers continue to
How do we get employers to pay more or report that they have used the PJC’s know-your-
have advancement pathways?” – Workforce rights materials when deciding which agencies
development practitioner to work for, and in asking their employers
about their pay practices. Additionally, the PJC
Not only do the low wages paid to many advocates for state-level policy changes that
entry-level workers fail to meet employees’ impact front-line workers in health care and
family needs, but they can also trigger the across low-wage industry sectors.
sudden loss of income supports and public
 22

Noting that there are a multitude of public and nonprofit

stakeholders in Baltimore’s workforce development
landscape, many interviewees believe that increased scale can
best be achieved through greater collaboration. This would
involve co-creation of career pathways that link programs in
a continuum of skills development and stacked credentials.

VI. Scale Through Collaboration, The Workforce Development and Continuing

Coordination, and Career Pathways Education Division of the Baltimore City
Community College (BCCC) is working to
Noting that there are a multitude of public and map educational pathways in eight career
nonprofit stakeholders in Baltimore’s workforce clusters that begin with short-term workforce
development landscape, many interviewees development programs and can connect
believe that increased scale can best be achieved to credit-bearing certification and degree
through greater collaboration. This would involve programs. Through this effort, industry
co-creation of career pathways that link programs certifications earned through workforce
in a continuum of skills development and stacked development programs offered by the college
credentials. In particular, there is a belief that or other nonprofit organizations may be
more could be done to bridge nonprofit-based recognized or awarded credit to grant students
entry-level training to middle-skilled courses of advanced standing as they enter occupational
study offered by community colleges. This hope skills programs on the credit side of the
for collaboration is bolstered by the emerging college. This strategy supports degree and
work of the Baltimore Workforce Development certificate attainment by recognizing prior
Board (BWDB) to spearhead a systems-building learning experiences. Additional efforts are
vision that supports greater coordination of underway to align related programs and
services (more about BWDB’s Vision 2020 plan can experiences so students may bypass the
be found at: https://baltoworkforce.com/). Accuplacer skills assessment, which is used
by the college to determine eligibility for
“There are enough jobs and people to go around placement into credit-bearing programs.
but we don’t communicate enough… We should Similarly, the college is exploring practices
be able to see how many IT jobs there are, what that would lead students directly into career-
certifications are being offered, which organizations oriented classes without first requiring
should do what so that we are not all doing the completion of developmental education
same thing but all fit together. We could each (remedial literacy and numeracy) courses. For
serve different candidates, and maybe provide example, an individual who has completed a
different stackable certifications in the same field… short-term EMT/paramedic program and has
An individual could complete a certification at obtained the nationally recognized Emergency
one organization and then do the next stackable Medical Technician – Basic (EMT-B) certification
credential at another. There is so much more that may enter BCCC’s credit-bearing program in
we can do to coordinate the ecosystem.” – Workforce emergency medicine with nine credits applied
development practitioner to the paramedic program. The alignment

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There are both immediate and longer-term opportunities

to provide many more unemployed and underemployed job
seekers and front-line workers with the services they need to
enter into the labor market in jobs with career pathways.

of career pathway programs will reinforce

specific academic and technical standards “MOED is working on Vision 2020. We need more
at each level so that upon graduation, EMT intentional connections to that work. If you aren’t
students will leave with college credits that a hub, it’s been difficult to connect to the public
can be applied toward an Associate’s degree system… It would be good not to create a new
in Para-Medicine. As BCCC further develops system, but to make connections.” – Workforce
these pathways, there will be greater development practitioner
opportunities for workforce programs that
award industry-recognized credentials to
partner with BCCC to help guide their clients
VII. Recommendations
toward additional post-secondary education There are both immediate and longer-
and career advancement opportunities. term opportunities to provide many more
unemployed and underemployed job seekers
Across the larger workforce development
and front-line workers with the services they
landscape in Baltimore, the Systems Building
need to enter into the labor market in jobs with
Committee of the Baltimore Workforce
career pathways. Increased investment in robust
Development Board is focused on “developing
sectoral workforce development programs that
and implementing strategies to build a
incorporate occupational skills training with
citywide coordinated workforce system.” As
strong supportive services would have an almost
a first step, the committee is working with
immediate impact on a significant number
the Baltimore Mayor’s Office of Employment
of individuals. Additional sustained attention
Development to build new access points into
to systemic issues through policy changes,
the workforce development system that are
support for related educational and supportive
clear and accessible to job seekers. These will
services, barrier mitigation strategies, and
include in-person, internet, and telephone-
systems building are needed to fully seize upon
based access to services that begin with
opportunities to reach scale and increase equity.
standardized assessment and employment
planning. The Board envisions a collaborative The following recommendations emerged out of
network of stakeholders within the citywide the interviews with the nonprofit organizations
workforce development system, supported and community colleges providing workforce
by newly established feedback loops, data development services in Baltimore in response
sharing mechanisms, and convenings. The to questions about scale. They are organized into
Practice Advisory, a practitioner-led learning three categories: increasing investment, creating
forum for front-line and mid-level workforce and enhancing tools and systems to maximize
professionals, has been launched with the opportunities and efficiencies, and addressing
intention of building organizational capacity system barriers.
and enhancing opportunities for collaboration.
 24

Figure 5:
Summary of Recommendations

• Align philanthropic grantmaking.

• Expand use of SNAP E&T funding.

1. Increase public • Create new Baltimore City funding pool to support sector-based
workforce development.
and private
investment to grow • Direct more public procurement dollars to vendors that include a
what works job training and placement mission to their work.

• Encourage and incentivize employers to co-invest.

• Fully fund case management and supportive services.

• Increase coordination and alignment of efforts.

2. Create and
enhance tools and • Build data systems to measure participation and impact in
systems for greater workforce programs.
effectiveness • Create accessible real-time labor market information tools.

Advocate for:

• Transportation policies and solutions;

3. Address major • Adult basic education bridge programs;
systems barriers to
scale • Criminal justice and reentry reform;

• Equitable job quality policies and practices; and

• Reduction of benefits cliff effect.

APPLY AN EQUITY FRAMEWORK TO ALL WORK

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25

All of the recommendations must be A. Align philanthropic grantmaking to

fundamentally connected to a commitment enable innovation and sustainability of
to and strategy for addressing the structural effective programming.
racism that is at the root of persistent poverty
and labor market disconnect in Baltimore. B. Increase public sector investment:
Approaches undertaken should be designed to
○○ Work with the state to expand use
advance the Baltimore region toward greater
of uncapped federal Supplemental
racial equity, defined by the state as when
Nutrition Assistance Program –
one’s life outcomes cannot be predicted by
Education and Training (SNAP E&T)
race or ethnicity. This will include intentional
funding for provision of employment,
work to consider the allocation of resources,
training, and support services to SNAP
development of structures and systems, and
participants in Baltimore City.
reconfiguration of public policies with a racial
equity lens. ○○ Create a new Baltimore City funding
pool to support sector-based workforce
1. Increase Public and Private Investment development approaches in alignment
To Grow What Works with sustained philanthropic support.

Increased investment of $5 million over ○○ Increase city and state investments

current funding levels could rapidly in workforce solutions by directing a
increase the number of residents receiving larger number of procurement dollars to
occupational skills training, supportive vendors that include a job training and
services, and job placement by about 1,000 placement mission to their work.
people annually. Sustained investments could
enlarge this number over a longer timeline. C. Scale up effective workforce
Interviews with workforce practitioners development through alignment with
highlighted the short-range opportunities and buy-in by employers in the region.
described in the chart on page 26.
D. Fully fund case management and
It is important to note that most public- and supportive services.
private-sector grants provide one- or two-
year investments. Workforce organizations A. Align philanthropic grantmaking for
are constantly in the process of fundraising innovation and sustainability: Beginning in
to replace grants as they expire. To respond the mid-late 2000s, the philanthropic sector
to the opportunity to extend training and provided the resources to launch new sectoral
employment opportunities to more Baltimore workforce initiatives in Baltimore and has
residents, current funders are encouraged to sustained investments over time. Philanthropy-
sustain and grow allocation of resources to driven innovation in sector-based training
these activities while helping to advocate for also has involved significant investments in
more local training dollars. generalized job-readiness interventions and
the piloting of academic bridge programs,
Increased public and private investment
integrated community college programs,
could be derived from the following set of
and pathways from secondary education
recommended strategies.
into post-high school skills training. The
Baltimore Workforce Funders Collaborative
hosted by the Maryland Philanthropy
Network facilitates grantmaking alignment.
 26

Figure 6:
Programs with Potential for Expansion Within One Year if Funding is Made Available

Cost per Potential

Organization Cost PP * Slots
Participant New Slots

BACH (Medical Assistant) $9,000 15 $135,000

BioTechnical Institute of Maryland $11,400 40 $456,000

CCBC-Workplace Literacy* $5,500 150 $825,000

Civic Works (Stormwater Remediation) $8,000 50 $400,000

Featherstone Foundation $3,750 46 $172,500

Goodwill (building trades) $3,200 10 $32,000

Humanim (Admin Assistant) $5,000 10 $50,000

Lazarus Rite $3,500 60 $210,000

Through expansion of
Living Classrooms 100
public work contracts

Maryland New Directions, Commercial

$1,000 75 $75,000
Transportation Careers Fast Track

NPower $7,500 75 $562,500

Per Scholas $8,000 30 $240,000

St. Vincent de Paul $5,000 40 $200,000

Urban Alliance (hospitality) $6,250 15 $93,750

Urban Alliance (construction and surveyor) $7,500 40 $300,000

Vehicles for Change $12,000 60 $720,000

Year Up (supplement to employer

$7,500 40 $300,000
sponsorships)

Year Up - Byte Back $1,000 120 $120,000

Year Up (adding space) $1,500 80 $120,000

Total 1052 $5,071,750

*CCBC believes that it could expand its Wordplace Literacy programs to serve as additional 500 students per year.
Some subset of these would be Baltimore City Residents. The estimate of 150 used here may be an undercount.

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27

Of the approximately $26 million in grants SNAP E&T program has begun to support
for workforce development in Baltimore a small number of Baltimore’s workforce
awarded by philanthropic members of the programs by channeling federal dollars to
Baltimore Workforce Funders Collaborative support job training and support services for
in 2018, almost $10 million was designated SNAP recipients. Although SNAP E&T match
for industry-sector workforce development funds are uncapped by the federal government
programming. Future sustainability and at this time, Maryland has not taken full
growth, as well as the emergence of new advantage of millions in reimbursable funding.
innovations in practice, will depend on larger Specifically, in Baltimore, funds potentially
and ongoing sources of aligned funding. eligible for reimbursement can include state
funds (i.e., Maryland EARN projects in the city),
B. Increase public-sector investment: local funds (small amount of city dollars spent
Local, state, and federal dollars have access on workforce services), or nonfederal funds
to public resources that dwarf philanthropy’s (i.e., millions of philanthropic dollars spent in
potential investment. Public funding is the city on workforce and related supportive
playing a critical role in sustainability and services) put up by workforce organizations.
growth. State agencies and programs such One Baltimore for Jobs (1B4J), designed and led
as Maryland EARN, the State Apprenticeship by the Baltimore Mayor’s Office of Employment
and Training Fund, the Supplemental Development (MOED), was very impactful
Nutrition Assistance Program – Education in spurring further innovation by testing a
and Training (SNAP E&T), and the Health coordinated, workforce system approach
Services Cost Review Commission have by funding 17 sectoral workforce training
helped build scale in recent years. Notably, programs and building better connections
the Maryland EARN program has awarded to community on-ramps and legal and child
approximately $8 million to Baltimore-based support services, but was supported with a
industry workforce partnerships over the nonrenewable federal demonstration grant.
three-year period from 2017 to 2019. The

PROGRAM HIGHLIGHT

Living Classrooms’ Project Serve assists adults who are returning from incarceration
with rapid attachment to work. The program begins to work with individuals while they
are in the pre-release phase of their incarceration and puts them into paid work positions
within a week of release. As a licensed general contractor, Living Classrooms obtains work
contracts from the City of Baltimore and employs Project Serve clients for about four
months on work crews while also providing case management that facilitates transition
to longer-term employment. Project Serve currently has a city contract through the
Community Development Block Grant to clean 4,000 vacant properties per year. Living
Classrooms believes that it could serve an additional 75 to 100 individuals per year if it
were contracted to double the number of properties served to 8,000. This would provide
a needed city service that impacts high-poverty communities while also helping residents
to stabilize and reduce recidivism rates. However, the current procurement process
favors the lowest bidder, making it difficult for Project Serve or other similar programs to
win contracts. Living Classrooms believes that the procurement process would produce
greater results for Baltimore if it were to award points to organizations that include social
goals and services for their employees along with the delivery of services.
 28

Baltimore City could grow its support for this could offset some nonprofit training costs
work through the establishment of a training by paying fees for quality referrals and
fund that would build upon the successes of 1B4J. placements. Employer-led organizations
including state and local chambers of
Additionally, Baltimore City and the state could commerce, the Greater Baltimore Committee,
increase investments in workforce solutions and numerous other business and industry
by directing a larger number of procurement associations should partner with workforce
dollars to vendors that include a job-training stakeholders to make the case for increased
and placement mission to their work. Social employer investment and disseminate tools
enterprises and workforce programs such that engage and inform the private sector.
as Humanim’s Details Deconstruction, Living
Classroom’s Project Serve, Roca, and Civic “In a job-readiness program, we can’t get people
Works’ Baltimore Center for Sustainable Careers to be perfect. We need stronger employer buy-
all provide training and work experience to in. Employers need to be willing to make a little
Baltimore residents through public contracts that investment … They need to invest in helping
provide needed services. them adjust to the workplace.” – Workforce
C. Encourage employers to co-invest: Employers development practitioner
should play a larger part in efforts to prepare
more residents for current and future in-demand D. Fully fund case management: Barrier
jobs. They can invest in talent development mitigation and case management functions
by participating in advisory boards that shape need to be adequately resourced as a part
program strategies, offering instructional of increased scale. Employers commonly tell
support, providing paid work experience through the workforce system that they prioritize “job
internships and apprenticeships, investing in readiness” and “soft skills” when hiring for
incumbent worker training so front-line workers entry-level positions. To succeed in finding and
can advance, and making financial investments maintaining employment, individuals who have
through corporate philanthropy and fees for faced multiple personal and systemic barriers
service. Rather than paying a for-profit staffing to employment are likely to need supportive
company to find new employees, businesses services and case management to prepare to

PROGRAM HIGHLIGHT

Year Up utilizes a corporate engagement model to support and grow its youth-
development programs. Employers partner with Year Up by providing paid six-month
internships to underrepresented young adults. Nationally, 44% of Year Up interns are
converted to hires by internship sponsors who benefit from the low-risk opportunity to
screen and assess these new employees.

Per Scholas provides free training for in-demand IT occupations to open doors to
technology careers for individuals from often overlooked communities. It has proven
that it can offer value to businesses by helping them to access high-quality candidates
and developing relationships with companies that care about a diverse and inclusive
workplace. Recognizing that many employers are willing to pay talent acquisition
firms for access to great candidates, the nonprofit organization is piloting a fee-for-
placement model in Boston.

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29

meet those employer needs. Simultaneously, Funders may also consider providing support
industry-sector programs need to continually to workforce organizations to measure
work with employers to create a better and document the value and true costs of
understanding of the structural obstacles intensive case management. Some innovative
that disproportionately impact residents strategies for measuring impact of this work
who are people of color. Case management are currently emerging in Baltimore and
practices that are designed within a racial may merit more attention. Examples include
equity framework are in need of further approaches used by the Center for Urban
development, while programs that target Families and Roca to track and document
youth need additional specialized approaches psycho-social interventions and outcomes.
linked to positive youth development theory. The Center for Urban Families’ self-sufficiency
For this reason, barrier mitigation and matrix is used as both an assessment and
case management functions need to be case management tool to measure and track
adequately resourced. With many programs client progress toward stability and to identify
reporting overstretched case managers, there any potential crises.
is a need to boost funding to build capacity
and support appropriate staffing levels 2. Create and Enhance Tools and Systems
before expanding programs to take in more for Greater Effectiveness
clients. Among the practitioners interviewed
for this study, there were differing opinions Greater scale is best reached through a
about a strategy that allows for shared systems approach that is data-informed and
resources for addressing barriers. Some allows for programs to connect along career
noted the effectiveness of an approach pathways.
undertaken through the 1B4J program where
A. Increase coordination and alignment of
resources for barrier remediation (legal
career pathway efforts.
services, financial coaching, mental health
services) were centralized and shared among B. Build data systems to measure
workforce organizations. Others argued that participation and impact in workforce
barrier remediation and case management programs.
must be conducted within a holistic and
integrated structure of the workforce C. Create accessible real-time labor market
program itself to achieve the best results. information tools.

PROGRAM HIGHLIGHT

Since early 2019, the Center for Urban Families (CFUF) has been assessing the needs
of its clients along 10 dimensions of self-sufficiency related to well-known barriers to
family stability and economic success such as housing, transportation, and education.
For each of these dimensions, the assessment tool helps to categorize an individual’s
place on a five-point scale ranging from “in crisis” to “thriving.” CFUF plans to re-
assess these clients at six-month intervals for up to five years, during which time, case
managers and clients can work together to set goals and implement strategies to
overcome these barriers. CFUF believes that the data collected will drive continuous
improvement within the organization and provide multi-dimensional evidence of the
impact of CFUF’s programs on families over time.
 30

A: Coordinate and align career pathway that community colleges are uniquely well-
efforts: Many of the stakeholders interviewed positioned to focus on middle-skill occupations,
recommend greater coordination among while community-based organizations are able
nonprofit workforce programs and the two local to connect to job seekers at the neighborhood
community colleges, particularly to implement level and are more likely to be able to provide
career pathways from entry-level training quality case management and job-placement
programs into middle-skill occupational tracks. services. In some sectors, it is a huge jump
In some sectors, they pointed to opportunities to get from one rung of a career ladder to
for entry-level programs within a single industry another, and new systems need to be put in
sector to specialize by population groups, place to enable advancement. Apprenticeships
program design, or occupational specialization. and incumbent worker training approaches
For example, one construction program might can be expanded to meet that need. For
develop special competencies for serving youth example, the Center for Apprenticeship
while another construction program might focus and Work-Based Learning at Jobs for the
on the needs of returning citizens. Likewise, one Future (https://center4apprenticeship.jff.
culinary program might train for high-pressure org) provides guidance on developing new
restaurant careers while another could be geared strategies that help workers learn on the job;
toward hospital-based dietary aid occupations. it has a particular focus on expanding such
opportunities to people of color, women,
Interviewees also called for greater development opportunity youth, people with disabilities,
of career pathways from entry-level training and others who have traditionally been
programs delivered by nonprofit community underrepresented in career advancement
organizations into middle-skill occupational opportunities and well-paying jobs.
tracks at the community colleges. Industry
sector-based workgroups could be established It was noted by several interviewees that the
to map out possible connections and lattices Baltimore Workforce Development Board is
among workforce development organizations, committed to a new workforce systems-building
the community colleges, employers, and the agenda that includes shared data, collaboration
public workforce system. It was generally felt among systems actors, coordinated intake and

PROGRAM HIGHLIGHT

The Baltimore Culinary Enterprise Alliance is a group of four Baltimore workforce

development programs all of which provide skills training for employment in the
food services and hospitality sectors. The group meets quarterly and held a kickoff
event in February 2019. The Baltimore Culinary Enterprise Alliance was created by
its members to facilitate collaboration. Members are working together to cross-refer
clients interested in training opportunities and to engage with employers, building a
coordinated resource for staffing. The group also plans to host networking events such
as chef competitions, cooking demonstrations, and food shows. Catalyst Kitchens, a
national technical assistance arm of Seattle-based FareStart, provided support to help
develop the group and plan the kickoff event. Current members of the group include:
St. Vincent de Paul of Baltimore’s Next Course program, the Maryland Food Bank -
Foodworks program, City Seeds, and Paul’s Place.

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31

referral systems, and heightened employer ●● On September 21, 2018, a Resolution of the
outreach. As part of this agenda, a Practice Baltimore Workforce Development Board
Advisory (https://baltoworkforce.com/practice- Requesting the Collection of Certain Grantee
advisory-2/) convened by the Mayor’s Office Data by Workforce Funders requested that
of Employment Development and guided by workforce funders, both public and private,
nonprofit workforce practitioners provides a require their grantees to submit an annual
forum for peer learning and networking among workforce participant outcomes report and
workforce organizations. This leads to optimism a program profile to the BWDB. Through
about the possibilities for greater coordination collaboration between the Workforce
among the many actors in the workforce system. Systems Effectiveness Committee of the
Baltimore Workforce Development Board
B. Implement data systems to measure and the Baltimore Workforce Funders
participation and impact in workforce Collaborative, a common reporting
programs: An accurate assessment of form for occupational training has been
the need to scale up sectoral workforce developed to meet this need. The reporting
development program is hampered by tool, which will begin to be rolled out in
the lack of good citywide data about the 2020, will facilitate unified data collection
current number of individuals served and that builds the capacity of workforce
their employment outcomes. Several efforts organizations to engage in continuous
are underway to address this problem improvement and equips the Baltimore
and will need sustained collaboration and Workforce Development Board and
financial support to operate at scale. Data philanthropic investors with the information
collected must be used to inform equity- they need to make informed decisions.
based approaches that increase the ability The outcomes report is based on a set of
of the workforce system to more effectively common performance metrics that have
serve greater numbers of African American been approved by the Baltimore Workforce
Baltimore City residents. The data system Development Board.
efforts underway include:
●● Through a grant to the Baltimore Workforce
●● The Baltimore Workforce Funders Funders Collaborative from the National
Collaborative launched a wage record study Fund for Workforce Solutions and the
in 2018 with seed funding from The Harry Ballmer Group, efforts have begun to design
and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation. The an integrated workforce data system that
Jacob France Institute (JFI) at the University will provide information about interventions
of Baltimore, which serves as the research and outcomes to increase the employment
partner for this study, is using state and income of residents engaged with
administrative data sources to analyze pre- a continuum of workforce development
and post-training earnings for cohorts of services in Baltimore. It is envisioned that
participants in 20 workforce development the Baltimore Mayor’s Office of Employment
organizations. A wide range of participant Development will take on responsibility for
demographics data are also being collected administration of the data system as part
to enable an analysis of outcomes based on of its systems-building work. Additional
factors such as race, age, gender, criminal allocation of public resources will be
history, etc. This disaggregation of data necessary to fully develop and implement
will inform efforts to address inequities in the data warehouse.
workforce development outcomes. Current
work lays the foundation for a system that These three elements of data systems-
will require additional funding for growth building will function only to the extent
and sustainability. that nonprofit workforce development
 32

organizations have adequate technical and industry partnership model or to organizations

personnel capacity to collect quality enrollment that have built strong industry advisory councils
and outcomes data. This will require investments such as Maryland New Directions or the Jane
and training at the program level. Addams Resource Corporation. Also, there is
an important role for established employer
groups. For example, the partnership between
C. Build accessible real-time tools and training
the Job Opportunities Task Force and Associated
for workforce practitioners to understand and
Builders and Contractors has steered the
act on labor market information: Decisions
design of the JumpStart Pre-Apprenticeship
about the addition of more occupational skills
Construction program. The Greater Baltimore
training should take labor market data into
Committee plans to augment labor market
account. Workforce systems stakeholders
data analysis in progress by collecting real-time
should participate in efforts by the Baltimore
information on employer needs from among its
Metropolitan Council to build an interactive online
business members.
tool for the Baltimore region showing career
pathways including occupational projections,
income data, and educational/work experience 3. Address Major System Barriers To Scale
requirements. This tool should be designed Advocate for changes to policies, practices,
to support Workforce Development Boards and budget allocations to address major
in the region as well as nonprofit workforce system barriers to scale, including:
development entities, community colleges, and
individuals. It can play a critical role in facilitating A. Transportation policies and solutions;
regional collaboration.
B. Adult basic education bridge programs
Industry-sector workforce programs must also and funding;
continue to collect business-level information
directly from employers about current and C. Criminal justice reform and reentry;
projected needs. Practitioners can look to the
D. Equitable job quality policies and
Baltimore Alliance for Careers in Healthcare as
practices; and
a model for bringing employers together in an
E. Reduction of the benefits cliff effect.

PROGRAM HIGHLIGHT

Cities such as Louisville, Kentucky, and Minneapolis and St. Paul in Minnesota have
developed recognized models for making labor market information available and
actionable. In Kentucky, the Career Calculator is a free interactive tool that enables
users to search current job and education data for the Louisville region by occupation,
college major, and income. The Career Calculator (www.Careercalculator.org) earned
Louisville a 2016 Purpose Award from the U.S. Conference of Mayors. In the Twin
Cities, the Minneapolis St. Paul Workforce Innovation Network (MSPWIN) funds
the publication of quarterly sector analyses designed to help workforce system actors
make informed decisions. For example, an Information Technology Summary Sheet
shows demand data for IT jobs organized along career pathways as well as information
about the number of individuals enrolled in related education and training programs.

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33

“The question of scale is a worthwhile goal, but Transportation Alliance, the Job Opportunities
you really achieve scale through policy change.” Task Force, the Maryland Consumer Rights
– Workforce development practitioner Coalition, the Baltimore Transit Equity
Coalition, and the Sierra Club.
Many of the primary barriers to scale are
imbedded in systemic issues that require action B. Adult Basic Education (ABE) bridges: Many
at a policy level. Making changes to reduce or adult job seekers and learners need intensive
eliminate these barriers will require investments literacy and numeracy remediation to qualify
in advocacy and community organizing for occupational skills training, but there is
undergirded with a racial equity lens. a scarcity of resources to support academic
bridge programming. In recent years,
A. Transportation: The lack of reliable, spending on adult education in Maryland
affordable, and equitable transportation to has been adversely impacted by significant
jobs surfaces as one of the most impactful reductions in federal allocations. Meanwhile,
obstacles to scale. Predominantly African Maryland sets the allowable average per pupil
American Baltimore neighborhoods with funding for Adult Basic Education at $800 as
a high concentration of poverty have been compared to the national average annual
historically and systematically disconnected expenditure per adult learner of $1,021 (World
from regional job growth centers by Education n.d.), far less than what is needed
transportation barriers. Given that Baltimore’s to provide a necessary level of service. These
transit system is run by the Maryland funding levels must be expanded to meet
Transportation Administration and routes to the acute need for effective basic educational
work need to cross municipal boundaries, services. Additionally, Baltimore could benefit
real solutions to the transportation problem from the development of a citywide strategy
require action at the state level. The 2015 for advancing adult basic education strategies.
cancellation by Governor Hogan of a partially Specifically, there is a strong need to pilot and
federally funded $2.9 billion plan to build grow ABE bridges and integrated instructional
a light rail (the Red Line) connecting high- models that create programmatic linkages
poverty Baltimore neighborhoods to urban between basic education and occupational
job centers carries a lasting sting. While true skills training, incorporating instruction that
transformation of the existing transportation is contextualized to industry sectors. Likewise,
system cannot happen without large-scale efforts to increase GED attainment among
public financing and planning, some more those who did not complete a high school
immediate small-scale solutions could have diploma are essential to support career
impact for trainees of Baltimore’s workforce advancement past entry-level employment.
programs. Some of these fixes include
creation of a regional transportation authority, Recognizing the critical need to address adult
development of employer-sponsored micro- education barriers, Maryland established
transit/van lines, car insurance premium an Adult High School Pilot Program in 2017
regulations, access to free driver’s education as an alternative method for adults to earn
and behind-the-wheel training, reforms to a high school diploma along with post-
driver’s license suspension policies, and secondary credits and/or industry-recognized
requirements that economic development certifications. Subsequently, the state has
projects include worker transportation approved two adult high school proposals
assessments and plans. A number of for Baltimore. Unfortunately, no state
Baltimore-based advocacy groups have funding has been allocated to enable their
outlined policy proposals that could advance operation. A proposal by Goodwill Industries
these solutions including the Central Maryland of the Chesapeake to finance an Excel Center
 34

Making changes to reduce or eliminate these barriers will

require investments in advocacy and community organizing
undergirded with a racial equity lens.

(Goodwill’s acclaimed adult high school model) in black Baltimore residents whose prospects
Baltimore through sales taxes from its nonprofit are limited by past encounters with the
retail stores failed to gain traction in the 2019 criminal justice system. A system of
State Assembly but merits a revisit in 2020. racialized enforcement of laws and judicial
proceedings combined with the imposition
Adult literacy and numeracy challenges are of fees and fines on people living with
intertwined with public K-12 system outcomes in poverty have resulted in a disparate impact
Baltimore. Complicated systemic and structural of the criminal justice system on Baltimore
issues, some of which are rooted in racism, City residents. This situation and a series
have led to the failure of schools to provide of policy recommendations are laid out in
many students with basic skills prior to high “The Criminalization of Poverty,” a report
school graduation. Leadership at Baltimore City by the Job Opportunities Task Force (Job
Public Schools is seeking to develop and pilot Opportunities Task Force 2018). Another
new approaches to address skills attainment. report, “Opening Doors to a Second Chance,”
Additional information about this challenge and includes recommendations by the Coalition
recommendations for further action are included for a Second Chance for helping returning
in a report on High School Diploma Attainment citizens obtain employment after incarceration
in Baltimore released by the Abell Foundation in (Greater Baltimore Committee 2016). This
2019 (Holleman 2019). blueprint for action includes a list of high-
priority actions that could be taken by the
C. Criminal Justice Reform and Reentry:
Baltimore business community and through
Skills training and placement into jobs on
policy advocacy.
career pathways is out of reach for many

PROGRAM HIGHLIGHT

The first Excel Center was developed by Goodwill of Central and Southern Indiana
as a free public high school for adults. While earning a high school diploma, students
gain college credits and a variety of industry-recognized certifications in a specialized
high school setting where students have access to on-site child care, counseling, and
additional academic and personal supports. The Excel Center model has experienced
incredible success with measurable impact in communities and is now operating
16 sites in Indiana. In 2013, the Excel Center expanded nationally with adult high
schools in Arkansas, Tennessee, Texas, and Washington D.C. After a lengthy review
of programming and curriculum by the Maryland State Departments of Education
and Labor, Licensing and Regulation, Goodwill Industries of the Chesapeake received
approval to launch an Excel Center in Baltimore. Plans to open the school have been
delayed while the organization works to raise needed funding.

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35

The top-line conclusion is YES, there are both labor market

demand and organizational disposition for the expansion
of current efforts, and such expansion could result in more
Baltimore City job seekers placed into employment.

D. Job quality policies and practices: In working to identify, promote, and grow
2016, 26% of Baltimore City households socially responsible businesses by redirecting
earned incomes above the official federal consumers’ purchasing of products and
poverty level but below a basic survival services, and by channeling public and private
income (United Way of Central Maryland subcontracts to businesses that adhere to
2018). These “ALICE” households are job-quality standards. More support needs to
comprised of individuals who are employed, be given to policy advocacy, implementation,
but their earnings are insufficient to support enforcement, and innovative approaches like
basic necessities such as housing, child Good Business Works to make front-line work
care, food, transportation, health care, better for more entry-level employees.
technology, and taxes. Too often, front-line
work is fraught with job-quality issues that E. Reduction of the benefits cliff effect:
may include poverty wages, lack of benefits Maryland should implement policies that reduce
and paid leave, health and safety issues, the economic shock of lost public benefits that
unpredictable scheduling, discriminatory is triggered when a household income rises. A
hiring practices, hostile work environments, forthcoming Benefits Cliff study commissioned
and more. Considering this reality, the work by the United Way of Central Maryland and
of poverty alleviation through workforce funded, in part, by the Abell Foundation, will
development must go beyond meeting provide a better understanding of this dynamic,
current labor market needs to include efforts demonstrating the core dilemma for scaling
that help reshape the nature of entry-level up industry-sector training and providing
employment. Oftentimes, policy change is the policy recommendations to address the issue
most direct method of prompting change at a by converting benefits cliffs into more rational
systems level. Local groups and organizations benefits slopes.
such as the Public Justice Center, Maryland
Working Families, and the Job Opportunities Conclusion
Task Force play a critical role in advocating
This report sought the input from a broad
for new laws, regulations, and enforcement
group of Baltimore-based workforce
mechanisms that address job-quality
practitioners on the question of whether and
issues. In recent years, their work has led to
how to increase the scale of current industry-
worker-centered policies such as increased
sector occupational training programs. The
minimum wage rates and paid sick leave.
top-line conclusion is YES, there are both
It is also important to engage the business
labor market demand and organizational
community and consumers in seeking
disposition for the expansion of current
solutions to job-quality issues. In Baltimore,
efforts, and such expansion could result in
the Good Business Works4 initiative is
more Baltimore City job seekers placed into
employment. For some organizations, this
4
  Good Business Works is a collaborative effort involving mul-
tiple organizations. Civic Works and the Baltimore Workforce expansion could come about in short order
Funders Collaborative jointly serve as the organizational home if resources to cover costs are available.
for the initiative.
 36

This finding prompts a call for increased funding for

effective industry-sector workforce development approaches
including the expansion of local public-sector resources as
well as investments by employers in target industry sectors
and a true focus on equity as both a process and an outcome.

For others, expansion would require a slower and employer engagement. At the same
process that involves more planning and ensures time, policy solutions are needed to address
fidelity to the special combination of strategies structural barriers that perpetuate inequity
and services that are fundamental to success. such as the lack of reliable and affordable
transportation to job sites, the immense
This finding prompts a call for increased underfunding of adult education solutions, and
funding for effective industry-sector workforce the proliferation of low-wage work that does
development approaches including the not support the basic needs of families.
expansion of local public-sector resources as well
as investments by employers in target industry If we believe that the future of Baltimore
sectors and a true focus on equity as both a depends upon a thriving economy where
process and an outcome. good, family-supporting jobs are accessible
to all residents—particularly African American
Notwithstanding this immediate opportunity, workers who have been historically (and in
there are significant organizational and systemic many cases continue to be) excluded from
barriers that must be addressed if Baltimore is the opportunities to build wealth—then these
to reach its full potential to connect residents insights and recommendations, delivered
with family sustaining employment and provide by the expert practitioners at the front
regional employers with the employees they lines of this work, can serve as a guidepost
need to grow in Baltimore. Organizations need for expanding the impact of workforce
support to expand their capacity, especially in the development efforts in Baltimore.
areas of instructional staffing, case management,

About the Author

Linda Dworak serves as the Director of the Baltimore Workforce Funders Collaborative, a
group of public and private funders which works to build pathways to family-supporting
jobs for unemployed and underemployed Baltimore City residents while meeting the
needs of the region's employers for a skilled workforce. With graduate degrees from the
Columbia University School of International and Public Affairs, Linda has served as Senior
Consultant to the Aspen Institute's Workforce Strategies Initiative and currently sits on
the board of two workforce development organizations.

Abell Foundation www.abell.org @abellfoundation P: 410-547-1300 October 2019

37

Acknowledgements ●● Jane Addams Resource Corporation -

Baltimore – Elaine Carroll and Guy Loudon
We are so appreciative of the insights
provided by the dedicated staff of so many ●● Job Opportunities Task Force – Matt Stubbs
organizations working to make an impact on
●● Lazarus Rite, Inc. – Christopher Ervin and
lives in Baltimore. Their thoughts and ideas
Wanda Ascencio
shaped this report.
●● Living Classrooms – James Bond, Steve
●● Baltimore Alliance for Careers in Healthcare
Bountress, Beth Campbell, and Cheryl
– Anita Hammond
Riviere
●● Baltimore City Community College – Pat
●● Maryland Center for Adult Training – Rosyln
Mikos
Weddington
●● Baltimore Mayor’s Office of Employment
●● Maryland New Directions – Grace Lee and
Development – Jason Perkins-Cohen
Maurice Good
●● BioTechnical Institute of Maryland, Inc. –
●● Moveable Feast – Jermaine Peterson
Kathleen Weiss and Leslie Prewitt
●● National Center on Institutions and
●● Bon Secours Community Works – Eric Clay
Alternatives – Gary Antonino
●● Caroline Center – Tom Bonderenko, Lyn
●● NPower – Demetrius Goodwin
Selby, Sister Grace Sciamanna, Corinne
Davidson, and Karen Hammer ●● Per Scholas – Bridgette Gray

●● CASA de Maryland – Liz Alex, Abdel ●● Second Chance – Mark Foster

Piedramartel, and Lindolfo Carballo
●● St. Vincent de Paul of Baltimore – Tona
●● Community College of Baltimore County – Cravioto
Matthew Bernardy and Steve Jurch
●● Turn Around Tuesdays/BUILD – Melvin
●● Center for Urban Families – Cathy Pitchford Wilson and Cheryl Finney

●● Civic Works, Baltimore Center for ●● Urban Alliance – Stephanie Amposah

Sustainable Careers – Eli Allen
●● Vehicles for Change – Marty Schwartz and
●● The Foundery – Jason Hardebeck Nikki Zahir

●● Goodwill Industries of the Chesapeake – ●● William & Lanaea C. Featherstone

Ryan Smith Foundation, Inc. – Lanaea Featherstone

●● Humanim – Kanika Feaster ●● Year Up – Roland Selby and Jaclyn Lenez

 38

References Li, Jing and Richard Clinch. 2017. "Patterns of

Employment by Race in Baltimore City and
American Community Survey. 2017. the Baltimore Region." Associated Black
Charities. https://static1.squarespace.com/
Babcock, Stephen. n.d. "Drilling down on the static/ 5728e34fd51 cd4809e7aefe0/t/5ad7
numbers behind Baltimore’s tech and cyber 65c1562fa7 4d577abb3c/1524065741388/
jobs growth." Technical.ly. https://technical. Analysis+of+Patterns+of+
ly/baltimore/2019/02/28/drilling-down- Employment+by+Race+Report_v2c+-
on-the-jobs-numbers-behind-baltimores- +Online+V ersion.pdf.
tech-and-cyber-growth-maryland-hiring-
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Editorial%20Email&utm_source=hs_ Income Drivers and the Need For Affordable
email&utm_medium=email&utm_ Drivers' Insurance." Baltimore. http://www.
content=70403846&_hsenc=. marylandconsumers.org/issues/auto/
insurance.
Baltimore Metropolitan Council. 2018. "Family
Supporting Jobs Report 2018." Baltimore. Maureen Conway, Amy Blair, Steven L. Dawson
family-supporting-jobs-report_2018_web.pdf. and Linda Dworak. 2007. Sectoral Strategies
for Low-Income Workers: Lessons from
Baltimore Workforce Funders Collaborative. the Field. The Aspen Institute Workforce
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Reflections and Lessons Learned." https:// aspeninstitute.org/publications/sectoral-
www.abagrantmakers.org/sites/default/files/ strategies-low-income-workers-lessons-
BWFC_StrengtheningBaltimoresWorkf.pdf . field/.
Central Maryland Transportation Alliance. 2017. Milligan, Carley. 2019. "Maryland offshore
"2017 Transportation Report Card." Baltimore. wind developers look to partner with local
https://www.cmtalliance.org/download/2017- businesses." Baltimore Business Journal,
transportation-report-card/. January 23. https://www.bizjournals.com/
baltimore/news/2019/01/23/maryland-
Coalition on Adult Basic Education. n.d. https:// offshore-wind-developers-look-to-partner.
www.coabe.org/legislative-talking-points. html.
Greater Baltimore Committee. 2016. "Opening Sheila Maguire, Joshua Freely, Carol Clymer
Doors to a Second Chance." Baltimore. https:// and Maureen Conway. 2009. "Job Training
gbc.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/GBC- That Works: Findings from the Sectoral
Coalition-for-a-Second-Chance-report.pdf. Employment Impact Study." https://
assets.aspeninstitute.org/content/
Holleman, Martha. 2019. Adult High School
uploads/2017/06/Job-Training-that-Works.
Diploma Attainment in Baltimore: Status,
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Consequences, Opportunities, and
Recommendations. Baltimore: The Abell Tessler, Betsy L. 2013. WorkAdvance: Testing
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Attainment(1).pdf. https://www.mdrc.org/sites/default/files/
WorkAdvance_Brief.pdf.
Job Opportunities Task Force. 2018. "The
Criminalization of Poverty; How to Break the United Way of Central Maryland. 2018. "ALICE:
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Abell Foundation www.abell.org @abellfoundation P: 410-547-1300 October 2019

39

Appendix A: Occupational focus by training provider

 40

Abell Foundation www.abell.org @abellfoundation P: 410-547-1300 October 2019

41

Appendix B: Typical 1-year enrollment and outcomes by program

 42

Appendix C: Occupational Demand as Perceived by Interviewees

Program High Demand

Medical Assistant
Home Health Aid Central Sterile Processing
BACH
Medical Front Office
CNA/GNA

PCT
Bon Secours Community Works
CNA/GNA

BTI Bio-manufacturing jobs

CNA/GNA
Caroline Center
LPNs

CCBC Health/Human Services Medical Assistant

Medical Assistances and Pharmacy Technicians

Medical Front Office
CCBC C2E
Diesel Mechanic
Apartment Maintenance Technician

Civic Works Weatherization and Solar (small but growing sectors)

Featherstone Bilingual Retail Banking

Welders
Foundery
Machinists

Retail Pharmacy Technicians

Goodwill Industries of the Chesapeake Building Trades
Entry-level IT

Medical Admin – Patient Access Specialist and

Humanim
Operations Manager

CNC Operators
Arc Welders (demand is not high now but is expected
Jane Addams Resource Corporation
to explode soon)
Aluminum Welding

Project JumpStart Construction-Licensed Tradesmen

CDL-A
Lazarus Rite CDL-B
Waste Truck Drivers

Abell Foundation www.abell.org @abellfoundation P: 410-547-1300 October 2019

43

Appendix C Continued: Occupational Demand as Perceived by Interviewees

Program High Demand

Patient Transport
Living Classrooms Hospital Environmental
Food Service

PCT / Nurse Support Techs

Maryland Center for Adult Training
CNA/GNA

CDL-A
Maryland New Directions
CDL-B

Hospital Culinary Workers

Moveable Feast Line Cook
Prep Cook

NPower

Line Cook
St. Vincent de Paul Next Course
Food Packaging (Jessup)

Hospital Culinary
Hospital Environmental
BUILD Turnaround Tuesday
Plumbers Helper
Electrician Helper

Surveyor Technicians
Entry-level Construction
Urban Alliance
Hospitality Front Desk

Auto Mechanic
Automotive Tech
Service Writer
Vehicles for Change Body Shop Tech
Parts Ordering
Lot Attendant
Diesel Mechanic

Construction Supervisor/Management
IT
Year Up
Cyber Security

*Since these interviews took place, the Maryland Center for Adult Training has ceased operations, Moveable Feast has
ceased to offer occupational training, and The Foundery has suspended operations pending identification of a new site.
 44

Abell Foundation www.abell.org @abellfoundation P: 410-547-1300 October 2019

..............................................................
T H E
..............................................................
A B E L L
..............................................................
F O U N D AT I O N
..............................................................

111 South Calvert Street, Suite 2300

Baltimore, Maryland 21202-6174

The

Abell Report
Scaling Workforce Development Programming In Baltimore

By Linda Dworak
October 2019
Published by the Abell Foundation
Volume 32, Number 9

About the Abell Foundation

The Abell Foundation is dedicated to the enhancement of the quality of life

in Maryland, with a particular focus on Baltimore. The Foundation places a
strong emphasis on opening the doors of opportunity to the disenfranchised,
believing that no community can thrive if those who live on the margins of it
are not included.

Inherent in the working philosophy of the Abell Foundation is the strong

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For a complete collection of Abell publications, please visit our website at

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