Fueling Youth Opportunity Through Employer Engagement

At any given point, according to the Census, less than 50% of those working in Baltimore City actually live in Baltimore City. It is time to provide every young person in the city a clear path to economic sustainability—one that equips them with valuable skills, connects them to in-demand careers, and opens the door to family-sustaining wages—so they can build thriving futures right here in Baltimore. 

This vision of our young people contributing to the city’s growth, stability, and long-term prosperity as both residents and members of the local workforce is exactly what some of Baltimore’s top employers came together earlier this summer to explore—and make a reality.

The employer engagement event was hosted by CareerBound, an initiative of Baltimore’s Promise, Baltimore City Public Schools, and the Mayor’s Office of Employment Development, which connects City Schools students and graduates with high-quality occupational skills training and the holistic support needed to thrive.

In attendance were nearly 100 representatives from 40 local employers, including Kennedy Krieger, Johns Hopkins Health System, University of Maryland Medical Center, Constellation Energy, Elocin Global, Comcast, Baltimore City Department of General Services, business development organizations, and others. 

CareerBound aims to serve 8,300 young people by 2030, and employers will play key roles in expanding economic opportunity and driving systemic change to meet that goal. 

“The corporate sector is really united around coming together and thinking about ways that we can deepen our partnerships and deepen our enrichment to help our young people,” said Lester Davis, vice president and chief of staff at CareFirst, which co-hosted the event with BGE and T. Rowe Price. “It is really incumbent upon each of us to figure out: how do we hit that next gear?”

Making a Difference, From the Individual to the Community

Brianna McArthur, a recent graduate of Baltimore City Public Schools, spoke to attendees about completing a youth apprenticeship at Sinai Hospital, getting hired by the hospital, and now advancing her higher education dreams at Morgan State University’s nursing program. 

“I think getting your foot in the door early…is better,” she said. “Like me: I now know which kind of nurse I want to be; at first, I was kind of iffy about even working in the hospital.” 

These opportunities to get in on the ground floor early would not be possible without the commitment of apprenticeship partners.

The summit highlighted that employer engagement can span far beyond apprenticeships, though. This includes offering mentoring and job shadowing, hosting career days, internships, and even homework help.

CareerBound put together an employer toolkit to illustrate the many options and next steps for ways to engage with tomorrow’s workforce today.

“I encourage you to reflect on…the role that you can play and what we can do collectively,” Jennifer Herwig, vice president of human resources at BGE, told other employers. “It takes every single person in this room, a shared commitment, passion, energy, innovation, and challenging the norms of how we do business.”

Employers responded to this call, with some committing to become training or employer partners, others asking to serve on an apprenticeship working group, and still others committing to providing opportunities for job shadowing, mock interviews, and learning more about their industries.

A Challenge to Face Together

City Council President Zeke Cohen highlighted the inherent difficulties—and extraordinary potential – of this effort. 

“It is not easy galvanizing the public sector, the private sector, and nonprofits to do really high-level collaboration and centering our young people in that work,” he said. “But that is the thing that is going to make or break Baltimore in the next five to 10 years….We have got to make sure that this next generation of young people who are coming up see themselves at CareFirst, BGE, or any of the companies that are represented today in this room.”

For Baltimore’s Promise, the event highlighted a clear sense of the local commitment to advancing local opportunities for young people. “Baltimore’s young people are driven, talented, and ready to succeed,” said Baltimore’s Promise CEO Julia Baez. “We’re proud to be building not just a pathway but an entire ecosystem to connect them to the training and support they need to step into strong careers and bright futures. This is why events like this are so important. We’re calling on every employer in the city to join us—let’s make sure every young person has a real shot at reaching their goals.”

Ready to invest in Baltimore’s future workforce? Click here to fill out an interest form, discover ways to get involved in our Employer’s Toolkit, or visit careerbound.baltimorespromise.org to learn more about the initiative.