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Monthly Newsletter - Issue 55, Summer 2024
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Workforce Solutions Saw Maryland Port Businesses and Workers Through Rough Waters
People around the world joined Marylanders in reacting with shock and grief when a cargo ship leaving the Port of Baltimore struck and caused the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bride on March 26, 2024. Six workers on the bridge at the time of the collision were killed, and the normally busy traffic going into and out of the Port was disrupted for weeks. Governor Wes Moore moved quickly to introduce a variety of programs to address the impacts of the disaster. The Port of Baltimore Emergency Worker Support Program and the Port of Baltimore Worker Retention Program were two programs created to stabilize the businesses and skilled port workforce during the recovery period.
The Port of Baltimore Worker Support Program provided temporary relief to Port workers who lost work and income due to the reduction in Port operations following the bridge collapse. The program provided a $430 weekly payment to impacted individuals, in addition to payments received through regular Unemployment Insurance. Maryland Department of Labor (MD Labor) staff volunteered to work at a Dundalk site for weeks to assist workers in determining their eligibility and applying for benefits. By the close of the program, 3,180 workers were approved for payment through WSP.
While also designed to support workers, the Port of Baltimore Worker Retention Program targeted businesses for grants. An eligible business could receive up to $200,000 in grant funding to pay for employee wages (up to $7,500 per worker) to keep workers on the job and avert layoffs, as well as subsidize supportive services for workers such as childcare and transportation. MD Labor's Division of Workforce Development and Adult Learning (DWDAL) oversaw the implementation of the program. A total of 289 applications were approved under the Worker Retention Program worth $17.9 million. The awarded funds enabled businesses to save a combined 3,142 jobs.
With the help of these programs and others, Maryland persevered, metaphorically and literally, through rough waters, to a recovery of smoother sailing!
SUN Bucks Help Families Keep Food on the Table
Do you serve jobseekers who have children? If so, you need to know about the Maryland SUN Bucks program, a benefits program new this summer that provides families with up to $120 to buy groceries for each eligible school-aged child during the summer. The SUN Bucks program was established to ensure school-aged children receive adequate nutrition during the summer months, when many lose the free and reduced-price meals they get at school.
The Maryland SUN Bucks program builds on Maryland’s existing state summer SNAP program and federal summer EBT Program, dramatically expanding the number of students served from 90,500 last summer to 540,000 this summer. Families in all of Maryland’s 24 local jurisdictions can access benefits.
It's not too late to apply! Applications will be accepted through August 31, 2024.
Learn more about who is eligible for SUN bucks and how to apply here.
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Welcome to New Workforce System Chief Learning Officer, Yolanda Cullen
Yolanda Cullen is the new Chief Learning Officer for the Division of Workforce Development and Adult Learning (DWDAL) within Maryland’s Department of Labor (MD Labor). In this role, Yolanda looks forward to strengthening the quality and value of employment and training services by enhancing the professional development landscape of Maryland’s workforce system partner programs. She will be focused on expanding internal professional development offerings as part of this larger charge.
Yolanda originally joined MD Labor in 2020, serving as the Manager of the Reemployment & Trade Unit for the Division of Unemployment Insurance (DUI). Her work in this role included the administration of a variety of special programs that directly interfaced with DWDAL services, such as the Trade Adjustment Assistance program, Reemployment Services and Eligibility Assessment services, and Reemployment Opportunity Workshops. Most recently, Yolanda worked as an IT Assistant Director for the Office of Information Technology. Previous to joining state government, she spent more than 20 years in the private sector in senior leadership roles where she oversaw marketing, communications, client services, operations, and staff coaching and development.
A native New Yorker, Yolanda holds a Bachelor of Business Administration from Baruch College, City University of New York. She has been a volunteer Wish Granter for the Make-A-Wish Foundation since 2018. When she isn’t working, she loves to read, take the occasional hike, and dine out as often as possible!
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National Hire a Veteran Job Fair Event
 National Hire a Veteran Day provides an annual opportunity to highlight the valuable skills and experiences that former servicemen and women bring to the civilian workforce. This year’s celebration was enhanced here in Maryland by the inaugural National Hire a Veteran Day job fair sponsored by MD Labor’s Veteran Services team. Nearly 140 jobseekers and over 70 employers participated in the event, which was held at Casino Live! in Anne Arundel County.
According to the Maryland Department of Veterans and Military Families, our state is home to approximately 360,000 veterans and another 100,000 active-duty service members, Reservists, National Guard, and dependents. Approximately 7.6% of adults who live in Maryland are veterans. Events like the successful job fair held for National Hire a Veteran Day help the men and women who so unselfishly served their nation take the next step in a career path following their service.
Here are two upcoming events also targeting veterans for workforce staff to keep on the calendar:
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Prince George's County Job and Resource Fair (October 2, 2024): This event will be held at Prince George's Community College. In addition to being a valuable opportunity for jobseekers to connect with employers, participants will be able to access a wealth of resources.
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Veteran-Owned Small Business Conference-2024 (October 11-12, 2024): The final touches are currently being put in place to prepare for this exciting event. Stay tuned for more on the agenda for this great professional development and networking opportunity!
To learn more about veteran employment services available through MD Labor’s Veteran Employment and Training Program, reach out to Veterans Program Manager LeRoy Thomas at leroy.thomas@maryland.gov.
Test Your Knowledge About Maryland's Workforce System!
Maryland’s Correctional Education services provide incarcerated individuals with high-quality services that facilitate a successful transition into Maryland’s workforce and communities. But how much do you really know about Maryland’s Correctional Education Program? Take the quiz below to find out!
- Which state agency oversees the Office of Correctional Education (CE)?
- Maryland Department of Labor
- Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services (DPSCS)
- Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE)
- Maryland Department of Human Services
- How many members sit on the state's Correctional Education Council?
- What is the approximate number of students served by the CE program each year?
- How many schools does CE currently operate in state correctional facilities?
- What are the local areas that are supporting justice-involved individuals through a new initiative called "QUEST Disaster Recovery Dislocated Worker Grant"?
- Carroll County Workforce Development Area & Baltimore Co. Dept. of Economic and Workforce Development
- Susquehanna Workforce Network & Frederick County Workforce Services
- Western MD Consortium & Howard Co. Workforce Development Area
- Anne Arundel Workforce Development Corporation, WorkSource Montgomery, and Mayor's Office of Employment Development
ANSWERS:
- The Maryland Department of Labor oversees CE, in close partnership with DPSCS and MSDE.
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Eleven representatives sit on the CEC. You can see the current CEC Roster on page 11 of the CEC Activity Report for 2023.
- Approximately 4,283 students are served each year.
- Eighteen schools are currently operating.
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Anne Arundel Workforce Development Corporation, WorkSource Montgomery, and Mayor's Office of Employment Development are the three local areas supporting justice-involved individuals with the initiative.
How did you do? You can learn more about Maryland’s CE program by checking out the recently released 2023 Correctional Educational Council Activity Report!
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Workforce Partners
Maryland Department of Labor Maryland Department of Human Services
Maryland State Department of Education Governor's Workforce Development Board
Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development Maryland Workforce Association
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Did You Know...?
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Maryland's Latest Workforce Development Updates
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Workforce Trends: New Report Released on the 2024 Workforce Landscape -
How does being part of the U.S. workforce stack up with the rest of the world? The ADP Research Institute recently released People at Work 2024: A Global Workforce View, a report based on survey responses from nearly 35,000 workers in 18 countries, including the U.S. The report examines a range of issues, such as the differing preferences workers of varying ages place on job attributes, the current status of the gender pay gap, and the ongoing evolution of remote work in the aftermath of the global pandemic. The report includes a fascinating regional workforce view on the United States worth reading. Check it out!
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MD Labor's New FAMLI Division - MD Labor’s Family and Medical Leave Insurance (FAMLI) Division is eager to help constituents understand paid family and medical leave, how the system will work in Maryland, and what they can do now to prepare. To learn more, plan to attend their next FAMLI 101 Webinar on August 28, 2024 from 2-3:30pm. Stakeholders can also invite FAMLI to present at an upcoming event using this event request form.
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September Brings National Adult Education and Family Literacy Week 2024 -
National Adult Education and Family Literacy (AEFL) Week raises awareness for the importance of lifelong learning for adults and families. Adult learners possess ties to various networks of champions to aid in their instructional journeys to their academic goals. Children, parents, friends, neighbors, co-workers, and neighbors may provide essential encouragement and support. Within our adult education programs, leadership, instructors, coaches, and assistants, all coalesce, as well, to form our students’ communities of literacy.
This year, AEFL Week runs from September 15 to September 21. For more information, please visit the website for the National Skills Coalition.
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The Virtual Training Institute is Right Around the Corner! The next Virtual Training Institute (VTI), hosted by Maryland’s Department of Labor, Division of Workforce Development and Adult Learning is scheduled for September 17-19, 2024. The VTI is a biannual event designed to support improved learner outcomes in adult education through targeted, innovative, and thoughtful professional development offerings. Sessions range from 30-minute teaching tips to 1-1.5 hour conceptual discussions/presentations on topics specific to adult education. These sessions provide a valuable platform to share knowledge and strategies with fellow educators, ultimately strengthening the instructional foundation in Maryland and improving student outcomes. Participation is open to all, and we are pleased to offer these sessions at no cost. For more information and to register, please visit the website.
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Benchmarks of Success Newsletters
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Contact us!
Have a story you would like to see featured? Email us at dlwdalcommunications-labor@maryland.gov.
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1100 North Eutaw Street
Baltimore, MD 21201
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