Governor Launches S2C-Maryland Initiative.

Governor O’Malley Launches Skills2Compete-Maryland Initiative, Builds on Findings of National Campaign

At a press conference on March 2, at Prince Georges Community College, Governor Martin O’Malley announced his Skills2Compete-Maryland initiative. The Governor called on the workforce development community to increase the skills of Maryland’s workforce by 20 percent by 2012, and stated that Skills2Compete–Maryland will ensure that every working Marylander has access to the equivalent of at least two years of education or training past high school – leading to a career or technical credential, industry certification, or two years of college – to be pursued at whatever point and pace makes sense for individual workers and industries. 

“An education and training strategy guided by the Skills2Compete vision will give Maryland a competitive edge for recovery and long-term growth,” said Eric M. Seleznow, Executive Director of the Governor's Workforce Investment Board, also a member of National Skills Coalition’s Leadership Council.

Maryland joins ten other states with initiatives aligned with National Skills Coalition’s national Skills2Compete campaign. Speaking at yesterday’s press conference, National Skills Coalition’s Executive Director Andy Van Kleunen noted that the Governor’s initiative is a model. “Governor O’Malley has set a new bar for the country. He has truly set himself apart as a governor who believes in growing his state’s economy by investing in people. We will work to ensure Congress and other Governors can learn from the ambitious goal he has set for his state.”

The Governor’s announcement coincided with the release of a report by National Skills Coalition, Maryland's Forgotten Middle-Skill Jobs.

Visit the Governor’s Skills2Compete-Maryland webpage, read the initiative issue brief, or view photos from the event.

Read press coverage and listen to a press conference about Maryland’s Forgotten Middle-Skill Jobs.