Governor Moore Announces Fulfillment of Governor’s Apprenticeship Pledge, Marking Record Growth in Apprenticeships

By PRESS OFFICER
Office of the Governor

ANNAPOLIS, Md. (Dec. 29, 2025)—Governor Wes Moore today announced that Maryland has achieved record growth and key milestones through the Governor’s Apprenticeship Pledge, helping more Marylanders enter high-demand careers and earn while they learn. Launched in late 2024 in partnership with the Maryland Department of Labor and the Governor’s Workforce Development Board, the pledge called on employers across Maryland to expand access to registered apprenticeships, and Maryland has surpassed all three goals established through the pledge.

“Apprenticeships are one of Maryland’s most powerful tools for building pathways to good jobs and family-sustaining wages,” said Gov. Moore. “A year after launching this pledge, we are seeing how partnership between employers, educators, labor, and state agencies can create real opportunity for every Marylander and strengthen the foundation of our economy.”

Under the pledge, Maryland sought to engage 500 employers in registered apprenticeship programs, including at least five additional public agencies. In the past year, Maryland has partnered with more than 500 employers, including five state agencies and 17 regional, city-, and county-level public sector employers. Today more than 1,000 Maryland businesses, organizations, and agencies employ and train registered apprentices.

Maryland also set a goal to recruit more than 5,000 new registered apprentices and surpassed that goal by more than 200. More than 14,000 Marylanders participated in apprenticeship programs this year—an all-time high, including an increase of more than 1,500 registered apprentices compared to 2024. The expansion has created new pathways to economic opportunity for Marylanders statewide.

“Through apprenticeship, we’re giving both workers and employers what they need to thrive: hands-on learning that leads to successful careers and a workforce prepared for the future,” said Maryland Department of Labor Secretary Portia Wu. “It's exciting to see employers of all kinds discover the power of apprenticeship—in the public and private sector and across an ever-growing range of fields.”

Maryland’s rapid apprenticeship expansion spans both traditional trades and fast-growing sectors like information technology, healthcare, life sciences, and education. The programs connect Marylanders with on-the-job training, credentials, and sustainable career pathways—filling workforce gaps and fueling economic growth.

The Maryland Department of Health, for example, launched the nation’s first environmental health specialist apprenticeship program in partnership with the Maryland Professional Employees Council and Morgan State University, enabling participants to obtain real-world public health experience. Through the program, apprentices participate in environmental science and public health coursework while acquiring field experience at local health departments throughout Maryland.

“We are grateful to the multi-agency coalition that worked with us to build this program,” said Maryland Department of Health Secretary Dr. Meena Seshamani. “These skilled professionals will play a critical role in protecting public health and the environment, from keeping our food safe to controlling the mosquito population.”

The Maryland State Department of Education and Maryland State Education Association launched the first statewide teacher registered apprenticeship program, which will help all 24 school districts in Maryland recruit, train, and retain future educators by providing them with a paid pathway to careers in the classroom—reducing the out-of-pocket cost of earning a degree and license.

“By taking a homegrown approach to teacher preparation, the apprenticeship program will help to close teacher shortages across the state,” said State Superintendent of Schools Dr. Carey M. Wright. “The statewide apprenticeship program works hand-in-hand with the Maryland Grow Your Own Educators Grant Program to develop sustainable career pathways for aspiring teachers from local communities. These initiatives would not be possible without support from the Maryland Department of Labor and our school district partners.”

Private sector employers embraced Maryland’s apprenticeship expansion from day one of the Governor’s Apprenticeship Pledge, and are already seeing strong results. Royal Farms and AstraZeneca—a life sciences sector leader launching a $2 billion manufacturing expansion in Maryland—were two of the earliest signers of the pledge.

“Signing the Apprenticeship Pledge reflects our commitment to strengthening Maryland's workforce,” said Governor’s Workforce Development Board Member and AstraZeneca Executive Director and General Manager of Cell Therapy Operations Brian Stamper. “We’re proud to support our apprentices as they grow and build rewarding careers in the local life sciences sector.”

For more information about Maryland’s registered apprenticeship programs visit https://www.labor.maryland.gov

TOP OF PAGE

Maryland Judiciary to Launch new Maryland Judiciary Case Search & Record Portal on January 9, 2026

By PRESS OFFICER
Maryland Judiciary

ANNAPOLIS, Md. (Dec. 19, 2025)—The Maryland Judiciary will be implementing the new Maryland Judiciary Case Search & Record Portal as part of its commitment to use technology effectively and responsibly. The new portal, launching on January 9, 2026, will redesign and integrate the existing Maryland Case Search and the Maryland Judiciary Record Search.

The Maryland Judiciary Case Search & Record Portal will continue to offer the same level of access to the public that is available through the existing Maryland Case Search, including information on public case records. Attorneys and authorized case parties will be provided the same enhanced level of case access currently available through the Maryland Judiciary Record Search, including detailed case information and documents.

For additional information on the new Maryland Judiciary Case Search & Record Portal, please see the frequently asked questions sheet online.

TOP OF PAGE

MONEY: Rental Scams Are Common
Avoid Them with These Tips

(StatePoint) Are you currently looking to rent a home or apartment? Then you need to protect yourself from rental fraud.

Rental scams are common. The Federal Trade Commission reported over 10,000 cases in 2023 alone. Fortunately, they are avoidable. By following a handful of practical, common-sense steps, you can protect yourself and avoid costly mistakes.

1. Always see the apartment before renting. Fraudsters are known to post phony ads using real pictures of properties they don’t actually own. They will push you to rent the unit, and to send your personal information to them, without seeing the apartment first. Visiting a unit is not only a way to avoid this scam—it also has the benefit of helping you ensure the apartment fits what you are looking for. If you are moving to a new city and can’t visit in person, ask if the property manager will take you on a video tour of the unit.

2. Don’t pay rent or a security deposit until you have signed a lease. Application fees are commonly requested before signing a lease agreement, but the security deposit or first month of rent are not required before signing. Be especially careful if a prospective property manager asks you to wire transfer money. There’s never a good reason to wire money to pay an application fee, security deposit or first month’s rent. And when you wire money, it’s the same as sending cash: you have no way to get it back.

3. If the price seems too good to be true, it might be. If the unit is listed for substantially less than other comparable units in the area, that could be a sign that the listing is part of a rental scam.

4. Make sure you sign a complete lease. Do not rent an apartment without signing a lease. When you get a copy of the lease, make sure to read it carefully and confirm key details. The agreement should always include these terms:

• Applicable fees

• Monthly rent cost

• Maintenance costs
 
If you have questions or concerns about the language in the lease, ask.

5. Do not give a property manager extensive personal information until you want to move forward. A property manager asking for personal information before you’ve seen a unit or before you’ve stated that you would like to rent the unit is often a sign of a scammer looking to steal your identity. That said, providing personal information, including your social security number, should be required before you are ready to move ahead with renting the unit.

6. Watch out for listings with grammatical and spelling errors. If the rental listing has a lot of errors, this might be a red flag. Most property managers will take the time to proofread the listing before they publish it online.

For clear guidance and tools to help you stay one step ahead of scammers, access Freddie Mac’s My Home resources about fraud prevention at https://myhome.freddiemac.com/blog/keyword/fraud-prevention.

The search to find a place to live can be stressful, especially if you don’t know what to expect. Understanding the rental process can help you avoid fraud and find something that fits your budget and lifestyle.

TOP OF PAGE