Transformative Federal Grant Awarded to University of Maryland Global Campus and OpenClassrooms

New York, NY, and Adelphi, Md. (Aug. 6, 2024)--The U.S. Department of Labor, Employment & Training Administration has awarded a $3.9 million Apprenticeship Building America, Round 2 grant (ABA2) to University of Maryland Global Campus (UMGC) and OpenClassrooms. This grant will modernize, diversify and expand registered apprenticeships in technology, training 100 pre-apprentices and 400 apprentices to take on high demand, well-paying roles in careers that span industries and geographies. While the program is national in scope, it will initially launch in Maryland, Arizona and California and expand over the four-year term of the grant.

"We are thrilled to partner with University of Maryland Global Campus on this transformative project," said Pierre Dubuc, cofounder and CEO of OpenClassrooms. "The ABA2 grant allows us to create innovative and scalable apprenticeship pathways that will empower students from diverse backgrounds to achieve their educational and career goals."

"We are proud to join OpenClassrooms in this groundbreaking effort," said Gregory W. Fowler, PhD, president of UMGC. "This grant positions us to make measurable progress toward vital state and national goals of narrowing skills gaps and creating additional pathways to rewarding careers while building the skilled and diverse workforce needed to bolster economic growth and prosperity."

The program will include pre-apprenticeship and apprenticeship tracks for Cybersecurity Analyst, Data Analyst, Application Developer, Digital Marketer and Helpdesk Technician jobs via a unique "Earn, Learn and Grow" model. Participants will earn money and learn on the job while also growing by simultaneously earning college credit. Ultimately, the program's goal is to ensure that participants transition into in-demand tech careers, equipped with education, hands-on experience and post-secondary credentials.

The program will focus particularly on underserved communities and veterans, consistent with UMGC's long history of serving the military community and its majority minority enrollment; and OpenClassrooms' Mission to Make Education Accessible. The combined power of both organizations' industry and employer networks, community college partnerships and established reputations will ensure successful outcomes and high-quality job placements.

Apprentices will earn up to 55 credits towards a UMGC bachelor's degree, creating a clear pathway from pre-apprenticeship to an associate degree to a bachelor's degree if they wish to pursue it. OpenClassrooms' experience shows that 75 percent of Registered Apprenticeship Program (RAP) completers continue full time employment with their apprenticeship sponsor/employer. The remainder continue their education or find employment elsewhere-a process that both UMGC and OpenClassrooms will help support. Hiring apprentices benefits both small and large businesses and the communities they serve. OpenClassrooms also scales apprenticeships in the U.S. through its Talent Marketplace using technology to match employers and apprentices.

About University of Maryland Global Campus

University of Maryland Global Campus was founded more than 75 years ago specifically to serve the higher education needs of working adults and military servicemembers. Today, UMGC is the largest provider of postsecondary education in Maryland and continues its global tradition with online and hybrid courses, more than 175 classroom and service locations worldwide and more than 125 degrees and certificates backed by the reputation of a state university and the University System of Maryland.

About OpenClassrooms

About OpenClassrooms: Established in 2013, OpenClassrooms is one of the largest global education-to-employment platform providers, with 355,000 students across 140 countries, thousands of full-time diploma students, and hundreds of corporate customers and more. OpenClassrooms is a private, B-Corp-certified distance-learning organization registered with the Board of Education in Paris, France. It operates a fully-online competency-based education model focused on vocational training in knowledge-economy fields - 600+ courses and 55 training programs in high-demand professions including cybersecurity, IT, product management, data management, marketing, and more.

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