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Local Workforce Boards

About Local Workforce Development Boards:

Maryland's 13 local workforce development areas are each supported by a local workforce development board, with guidance and leadership from the area's private industry to address the current and future hiring needs of employers. As key players in their communities, the areas are uniquely positioned to identify skill shortages and cultivate relationships with both workers and employers. By integrating workforce development, economic development, and education, each local area develops and implements effective workforce strategies tailored to their region.

  • Through the American Job Centers, these workforce areas manage and deliver localized services, leveraging community resources to meet the needs of jobseekers, current workers, employers, and youth. These centers act as central hubs, offering customized services that cater to each customer group's specific needs and provide access and resources to training and workforce opportunities.

  • Maryland map of counties

  • American Job Centers in Maryland

The Maryland Workforce Association: The Maryland Workforce Association is made up of the Thirteen Local Workforce Directors in Maryland. The association collaborates with the Governor’s Workforce Development Board, Maryland Department of Labor and other state workforce partners to foster regional and statewide collaboration and share best practices.

Local Directors and Members

Local Directors and Members

Employer Services

Employer Services

Information Brokering:
Provides businesses with information on

  • current and future labor market,
  • human resources issues,
  • business tax credits, and
  • small business development.

Customized Training:
Provides new and current workers with training assistance such as

  • training needs analysis,
  • access to state/federal training,
  • information technology training,
  • on-the-job training, and
  • tailoring a training program to fit your business’s unique needs.

Outplacement Services:
Provided for businesses that are downsizing.

Recruitment and Hiring Assistance:
Provides business assistance such as

  • job fairs,
  • interviewing,
  • pre-screenings,
  • testing and skills assessments,
  • state-wide online job exchange,
  • linkages to co-ops and internships,
  • database searches for potential employees,
  • post job announcements, and
  • identify and recruit special populations at employers’ requests.

Specialized Services:
Customized training is available (to eligible residents), such as

  • on-the-job training, and
  • job retention services.

Job Seeker and Incumbent Worker Services

Job Seeker and Incumbent Worker Services

Career Counseling:
Provided to residents to

  • discover their interests and skills and match them to occupations,
  • research occupation information such as salary and occupational outlook, and
  • provide employment research tools (including the internet).

Reference and Resource Library:
Available to assist residents in the career planning. Includes

  • newspapers,
  • business journals,
  • magazines,
  • financial aid and scholarship information, and
  • videos on job search/retention techniques.

Maryland Workforce Exchange:
Available to allow residents to

  • look for job openings,
  • explore career options,
  • access resume services,
  • find a job, and
  • learn about career planning.

Training and Education:
Courses and financial assistance are available for eligible residents to receive

  • specific occupational skills training (such as computer courses),
  • entrepreneurial training,
  • general education diploma (GED),
  • English as a Second Language (ESOL), and
  • Adult Basic Education.

Workshops:
Provided to residents on specific job search skills, such as

  • job search and networking,
  • effective resume writing, and
  • interviewing techniques.

Access to Government Resources:
Information and referral to other public resources such as

  • Department of Social Services,
  • adult education
  • Division of Rehabilitation Services,
  • transportation services,
  • support services
  • childcare services, and
  • information on how to obtain a birth certificate, social security number, or driver’s license/state identification.

Equipment Access:
Job search equipment is available, such as

  • workspace, telephones, fax machines, laser printers, copy machines, postage, and computers with internet access.

Access to Employers & Jobs:
Provides a number of methods to access employers, such as

  • on-site job fairs (for many employers),
  • on-site mass hiring (for many open positions with one employer),
  • access to on-site employer representatives, and
  • internet access to employer information.

Youth Services

Youth Services

Employment Skills Training:
Provides Maryland youth with training, such as

  • pre-employment skills training,
  • career planning,
  • computer literacy training,
  • occupational training, and
  • job preparation seminars.

Academic Support:
Provides assistance, such as

  • after-school programs,
  • GED instruction,
  • academic remediation,
  • learning programs for children 0-to-5,
  • tutoring,
  • educational alternatives options,
  • counseling for college options, and
  • assistance obtaining financial support for post-secondary education.

Work Experience:
Provides hands-on learning experiences, such as

  • community service projects,
  • job shadowing opportunities,
  • summer employment,
  • internships, and
  • work-based learning opportunities.

Employment Assistance:
Provides assistance in obtaining employment through

  • career fairs,
  • job search assistance,
  • job placement assistance, and
  • community partnerships and employer linkages.

Personal Support:
Provides assistance, such as

  • programs for suspended students,
  • mentoring,
  • tobacco prevention programs,
  • adolescent addictions counselors,
  • individual and group counseling,
  • mental and physical health support,
  • life skills training,
  • parenting classes,
  • conflict resolution and peer mediation,
  • recreation activities,
  • cultural enrichment,
  • leadership development activities, and
  • follow-up services.