The desire to begin a new career path can have any number of motivations and can occur at any age in life. Whether fresh out of high school or pivoting after years of work experience, entering a new industry can seem daunting and resource-intensive. However, the transition doesn’t have to be.
Here in Frederick there are many opportunities to quickly and affordably access new employment options that can support a high-quality of life. Below we review five locally-based training resources that can help jumpstart your next career:
Frederick’s Biotech Bootcamp is a training program designed through the collaborative effort of Frederick Community College, Frederick County Workforce Services, The City of Frederick Department of Economic Development and Frederick County Office of Economic Development -- to teach participants the basic skills needed for entry-level positions within the biotechnology/biomanufacturing industry.
The program runs 4 days a week for 4 weeks and is offered in both the morning and evening. The bootcamp features a combination of classroom and hands-on training experience in local lab space. Crafted in partnership with regional biotech companies, the curriculum introduces basic industry-specific skillsets such as gowning, aseptic techniques, documentation, and good manufacturing practices.
The Biotech Bootcamp is fully funded for participants and requires no previous background experience in life sciences. Following the successful completion of the program, students are matched with participating local companies for job interviews.
Frederick’s inaugural Biotech Bootcamp session was highly successful. 13 out of 14 participants completed the program. Over 75% of the graduated participants are already working in their new career. The jobs they have been placed in offer an average starting salary of $22-25/hr.
Stay tuned for future program dates here.
2. Maryland Apprenticeship & Training Programs
Registered apprenticeships are jobs where you “earn and learn.” While working on the job, you receive one-on-one full-time training from a skilled craftsperson as well as related classroom instruction. An apprentice is “sponsored” by an employer or association and is paid according to a progressive pay scale. When you complete registered apprenticeship training, you are on a pathway to a career.
The first step in becoming a registered apprentice is deciding which occupation interests you. A list of all occupations currently available through Maryland’s registered apprenticeship programs can be found here. Next, call 410-767-2246 or e-mail info@mdapprenticeship.com to connect with an apprenticeship navigator who will direct you to available apprenticeship opportunities.
3. FCC Short-Term Career Training Programs
Frederick Community College offers over 60 short-term career training programs. These career-focused programs can be completed in less than a year and are designed to prepare individuals for direct entry into the workforce.
The programs offer substantial flexibility and a significantly reduced cost as compared to 4-year degree programs. Programs are offered as day, evening, and weekend courses; and available on-campus, off-campus, and online. The average investment by a student in a FCC Short-Term Training program is $2,600. The average salary of the careers opened through the programs is $54,300.
The programs cover a wide range of career fields, such as culinary arts, medical coding, diesel mechanic training, biotechnology, network engineer, welding, electrical, and more!
Explore the current program offerings in the brochure here.
4. ASPIRE Training
The ASPIRE Training Program serves anyone within the community who is unemployed or underemployed due to outdated skillsets, or currently employed and looking to enhance their skill set within the tech arena. If you are actively searching for a position or specific training within IT networking, website development, systems administration, website application, and are seeking to improve your professional communication and project management skills, this training is for you!
The ASPIRE Training Program offers customized training focused on critical occupations and skill shortages identified by people in the tech community through the Maryland Department of Labor EARN Grant.
techfrederick — a non-profit focused on growing the technology industry in Frederick - serves as the administrator of the program. Explore their page here for additional information on the program and to register for upcoming trainings.
5. Skill Up Frederick
Skill Up Frederick is a free online learning platform sponsored by Frederick County Workforce Services that features over 5,000 courses in topics including Management & Leadership, Information Technology, Math & Finance, Digital Literacy, Customer Service, and more!
Over 100 industry certification programs are available through the platform.
Ready to boost your skills to prepare for your next job? Explore the opportunities here.