Federal grants to fuel job-training instruction at community colleges

Baltimore Business Journal - by Ryan Sharrow Staff

Two Maryland community college were awarded more than $4 million in grants Wednesday to help drive job-training efforts in high-demand industries.

Community College of Baltimore County was awarded $1.9 million through the U.S. Department of Labor's Community Based Job Training Grants Program, U.S. Sen. Barbara A. Mikulski and U.S. Sen. Benjamin Cardin, both Maryland Democrats, said Wednesday.

The grant will be used to address a shortage of construction and utility workers in the state, the senators said in a news release. The funding will develop an apprenticeship program at the community college for 250 people.

Prince George's Community College will receive more than $2.2 million as part of the grant for a hospitality program. The hospitality industry around Washington, D.C., is experiencing "unprecedented growth," the senators said in a news release.

Nearly 2,000 people are expected to work at Gaylord Entertainment's hotel and conference center at National Harbor in Prince George's when it opens in April. An additional 3,000 employees are expected to be brought on board as the development fills out.

A project manager, culinary arts faculty member and a part-time marketing coordinator will be hired at the community college with the loan. The money will also be used to construct culinary kitchens at two Prince George's County schools.

More than $12 million in grants has been divvied out to six Maryland colleges since 2005 as part of the Community Based Job Training Grant Program.

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