Maryland’s Bold Workforce Goals Need Bold Solutions

Kaptivate staffer Jenn Stein shares insights from the Maryland Workforce Association Raising the Bar Conference, Sept. 8-10

I’m still energized from last week’s Maryland Workforce Association Raising the Bar Conference, and it was the perfect way to celebrate Workforce Development Month. My head is now swimming with ideas sparked by the sessions and by conversations with the passionate “superheroes” (this year’s theme) I had the chance to meet.

One of the big topics of discussion was the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future, the state’s ambitious education reform plan. A particular focus was Pillar 3: College and Career Readiness, through which Maryland has set a bold target: by the 2030–2031 school year, 45% of high school graduates will complete an apprenticeship or earn an industry-recognized credential.

The Challenges Ahead

With less than 10% of 2025 graduates currently meeting these requirements, and 2031’s graduation ceremonies less than six years away, that’s a tall order. Schools and employers face some big hurdles, including:

• Student engagement: Helping students (and their caregivers) see apprenticeships and credentials as powerful launchpads, not “second-choice” options.
  
  
• Industry partnerships: Expanding the number of employers offering apprenticeships and work-based learning opportunities.
  
  
• Scheduling: Finding room in already packed high school timetables for meaningful, hands-on training.
  
  

• Funding: Ensuring schools have the resources to expand programs, support instructors, and offset student costs.

New Approaches Needed

These challenges are real, but not insurmountable. What’s clear is that the traditional playbook alone won’t get us to 45%. We need to think differently.

That’s where open innovation comes in. At Kaptivate, we’ve seen how prize competitions can bring together diverse stakeholders, foster collaboration, surface creative solutions, and accelerate progress on big, complex goals. This kind of creative problem-solving is exactly what Maryland needs to move the needle and achieve its bold Blueprint vision.

Excited for What’s Next 

I walked away from Raising the Bar encouraged. The timeline is tight, but the passion, energy, and commitment I saw at the Summit made it clear: Maryland has what it takes. The real question is whether we can harness that energy and build the cross-sector solutions needed to get there.

Kaptivate’s ready to help source innovative approaches to turn vision into results—raising the bar for students, employers, and communities.