Maryland Department of Labor approves Campaign for Historic Trades apprenticeship program

The Campaign for Historic Trades, a national workforce development program powered by Preservation Maryland and focused on expanding and strengthening careers in the historic trades, announced the Maryland Department of Labor approved its first-of-its-kind group apprenticeship program for state registration.

The program sets standards – on-the-job learning, related instruction and core competencies – that provide a clear process for entering the workforce in roles like deconstruction technician, historic window technician and preservation carpenter technician.

Registered Apprenticeship is a proven and industry-driven training model acknowledged by the U.S. government that provides a critical talent pipeline to help address some of our nation’s pressing workforce challenges. Employers are able to develop and prepare their future workforce while apprentices obtain paid work experience, receive progressive wage increases, classroom instruction and a nationally recognized credential.

In addition to the new apprenticeship program, The Campaign for Historic Trades is launching an online learning platform to support necessary educational components of Registered Apprenticeships; the functionality of this system will allow training for apprentices as well as interested historic homeowners, aligned professionals (real estate agents, building inspectors etc.) and students.

The Campaign for Historic Trades is a national program of Preservation Maryland, dedicated to expanding and strengthening careers in the historic trades. Guided by a staff with extensive experience in both trades and education, The campaign is working to address the systemic barriers to historic preservation trades training and to grow the trades workforce.

Preservation Maryland is a statewide nonprofit harnessing the power of historic places by revitalizing and reinvesting in communities, advocating and building the historic trades workforce for the benefit of all Marylanders.