Business Monthly Senior Writer Mark Smith reports that not long ago, the number of applicants for Apprenticeships in the Skilled Trades was somewhat stagnant. Consider the observations of Ryan Ambrose, Business Agent for Rosedale, Maryland’s Plumbers & Steamfitters UA Local 486. He points out: “Five years ago, we accepted (70) Apprentices in our program from a pool of (500) applicants. This year, we’ve accepted (170) out of (1,300).” Ambrose said the Union might have accepted even more applicants into this year’s Apprenticeship Program, but this case was one of so much interest, so little space. That issue, however, will be alleviated with the opening of Local 486’s new Training Center in White Marsh in late 2028. He said the rise in interest is due to data center building and maintenance needs, as well as growth in the Life Sciences Sector. “The tax revenue from data centers, for instance,” Ambrose said, “will fund more schools in Maryland and elsewhere - which will again heighten demand and opportunities.” Maryland is also catering to the market demand for apprenticeships. “The RAISE Act - the largest-ever investment in Maryland’s Apprenticeship history - has helped us achieve record growth,” said Erin Roth, who serves as Assistant Secretary for the State of Maryland Department of Labor, Division of Workforce Development & Adult Learning. “with around (14,000) actively enrolled Registered Apprentices, spanning both traditional trades and high-growth sectors like health care, cyber, information technology and education.’

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