Baltimore City students can now learn to repair police vehicles, fire engines and other city-owned vehicles through a new program from the Mayor’s Office of Infrastructure Development, Mayor Brandon Scott announced.
The Baltimore City Infrastructure Academy (BCIA) is a city-wide collaboration aimed at creating a pipeline for city infrastructure jobs. It gives opportunities for residents to learn and develop trade skills.
“We’ve taken the old elementary school and turned it into a new space for learning: a training center where Baltimoreans can get qualified for good jobs that our City needs to fill,” Scott said in a statement. “Whether you want to be a carpenter, mechanic, CDL or HVAC technician, we’ve got what you need to reach your goals.”
Phase 1 of the program, run by the Department of General Services (DGS), launched on July 24 at a new auto mechanic training facility in Park Heights. The Fleet Academy apprenticeship program for Fleet Management works with Baltimore City Schools to connect students with DGS. Students learn how to repair vehicles in the city’s 5,600 fleet of motorized vehicles and equipment.
Interested students should contact their guidance counselor for more information, according to WBAL-TV. As the program expands, more city agencies will offer opportunities to all Baltimore residents.
“More residents will now have a direct path to a good-paying career in city government that serves our communities,” said City Administrator Faith Leach. “It’s an investment in our people, in the Park Heights neighborhood, and in Baltimore’s future.”
The first phase also includes a Public Works Inspection Training that provides residents with specialized skills for construction management operations. The training is connected to the Baltimore Water Infrastructure Strategic Educational Program, or B’more WISE. It’s a program to help streamline “homegrown” talent in the water and wastewater industry.
“The rigorous program design means external candidates quickly understand the treatment process and why it matters in order to become the best stewards of the environment they can be,” said Michael Hallmen, the Department of Public Works’ deputy bureau head of water and wastewater.
Over half of the latest B’more WISE cohort obtained their permanent certifications, Hallmen said.
“The B’More WISE program was definitely a breath of fresh air,” said Shane Young, a B’more WISE graduate and DPW employee of 12 years. “That was beyond needed for the soon-to-be Operators of Baltimore City’s DPW. The program provided crucial training, which is a critical part of staying relevant in our field.”
The Baltimore City Infrastructure Academy (BCIA) will focus on five challenges in the city’s infrastructure employment challenges:
- Aging workforce, knowledge transfer, and succession planning
- Skills gaps and training needs
- Recruitment shortages
- Curriculum modernization and technological advancements
- Technological advancements, and infrastructure maintenance and resilience
Scott addressed the need for city infrastructure workers at last week’s Infrastructure Summit.
“We have all of these projects going on, you have the Key Bridge, the Inner Harbor, the tunnels,” he said. “We have an infrastructure academy we are doing to train, not just to train the current workers, but the next group of city employees.”
You can find current city job openings and opportunities, including the Baltimore City Infrastructure Academy, on Baltimore’s hiring website.
