Public Relations & Marketing

HCC receives $500,000 for construction trades

Hagerstown Community College has received a $500,000 grant from the Maryland Department of Labor to support the Construction Trades Opportunities and On-the-Job Learning Support (CTOOLS) initiative at the new D.M. Bowman Family Workforce Training Center.

Funding will be used to purchase equipment for pre-apprenticeship training, provide supportive services to students, assist with apprenticeship application fees, and host a construction career open house. Additional funds will support instruction costs for a new integrated education and training (IET) program for construction/equipment training, program marketing, and student scholarships. A dedicated workforce navigator will be hired to provide individualized support for students participating in apprenticeship, pre-apprenticeship, and IET programs through HCC’s Workforce Solutions division.

Road to Careers is a joint initiative between the Maryland Department of Labor and Maryland Department of Transportation designed to strengthen Maryland’s talent pipeline for jobs in the transportation and construction sectors. The program expands access to pre-apprenticeship and registered apprenticeship opportunities, meeting critical industry demand while creating career pathways for Marylanders who have historically faced systemic barriers to employment.

The D.M. Bowman Family Workforce Training Center, located at 562 Northern Avenue, in Hagerstown, is home to several of HCC’s non-credit programs, including commercial truck driver training, diesel tech, forklift instruction, and a variety of other workforce and personal enrichment courses. The new facility also houses the Barr Construction Institute, operated in partnership with HCC. To learn more about the facility and programs offered there, visit www.hagerstowncc.edu/btc.

(July 1, 2025)