ANNAPOLIS, MD—Governor Hogan this week announced Maryland’s new Information Technology Innovative Workforce Solution program, which will provide work opportunities to individuals apprenticing to become information technology (IT) professionals.

The Department of Information Technology (DoIT) will partner with Catalyte, Inc. and Digital Network Group, LLC to provide a fully developed and subsidized operational training and apprenticeship program. This program will offer individuals who do not possess an IT background and qualifications a pathway to break into the IT industry and helps individuals develop long-term career opportunities while providing economic benefits to Maryland communities.

“Through this innovative program, we are creating new economic and life-changing career opportunities for more Marylanders, in one of the most important sectors” said Governor Hogan. “As the United States continues to confront a historic and unprecedented labor shortage, we are advancing a bold workforce development agenda for Maryland.”

The IT Innovative Workforce Solution is directly in alignment with Governor Hogan’s workforce development initiatives, including formally eliminating the four-year college degree requirement from thousands of state jobs and working with partners to recruit and market these roles to job seekers who are “Skilled Through Alternative Routes” (STARs).

“We are excited to work with two great companies who share our passion for expanding the IT workforce to historically underutilized populations,” said DoIT Secretary Michael Leahy.

The IT Innovative Workforce Solution will identify individuals who possess the natural potential and ability to become talented information technology professionals, regardless of their background, education, and prior experience. Individuals who are selected for the program will go through an onboarding training program and there is no cost to the individual once they successfully graduate.

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