The Talbot County Board of education recognized the Eastern Shore’s first student participant in the Apprenticeship Maryland Program at their June meeting.
Samantha Washburn, a rising Senior at St. Michaels High School,is a Junior Pastry Chef Apprentice at Fisherman’s Inn in Grasonville, Maryland. She will also complete the Culinary Arts Career and Technology Education pathway through Talbot County Public Schools. Mande Gretzinger from Fisherman’s Inn also attended the Board Meeting, where Samantha signed her official apprenticeship agreement.
The Apprenticeship Maryland Program is a collaboration between the Maryland Department of Labor, the Maryland State Department of Education, the Department of Commerce, participating school systems, and community business and educational partners. Founded in 2015 as a pilot in Frederick and Washington Counties, the program expanded to Talbot and Queen Anne’s Counties early in 2019.
Photo: Front row, left to right: Jennifer Heimert, Samantha’s mother, Patty Shreves, Apprenticeship Navigator; Samantha Washburn; Mande Gretzinger, Fisherman’s Inn; Anna Howie, TCPS Career and Technology Education Supervisor; Dr. Kelly Griffith, Superintendent of Schools. Back row, left to right: Tim Washburn, Samantha’s father, and Michael Garman, Board of Education President.
The program is intended to allow high school juniors and seniors to develop valuable job skills and get a head start on future careers. At the same time, the goal is to support Maryland businesses by training talented, highly skilled workers, a much-needed resource. “The Maryland Youth Apprenticeship program is a wonderful partnership,” explains Anna Howie, TCPS Career and Technology Education Supervisor. ‘It provides Eastern Shore students the opportunity to work with professionals in their area of interest to help guide them as they begin to make future career choices.”
Youth apprenticeship program students work at least 450 hours with a certified employer, while receiving related educational training. The students will usually begin working with a state-approved employer during the summer after their junior year in high school.
The county school systems coordinate student placements with local businesses. Talbot County plans to place up to five students during the program’s inaugural year. Talbot County students who are interested in becoming an apprentice may contact Jodi Colombo, Internship Coordinator at [email protected]. Employers wishing to participate in the program should contact Patty Shreves, Eastern Shore Apprenticeship & Training Navigator at [email protected].
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