About National Apprenticeship Week
National Apprenticeship Week (NAW) is a nationwide celebration to showcase the opportunities that Registered Apprenticeships offer for Americans to develop workplace experience and skills that employers value.
In honor of the 85th Anniversary of the National Apprenticeship Act, the U.S. Department of Labor is hosting the 8th Annual National Apprenticeship Week (NAW)! This year’s NAW will take place November 14-20, 2022, at hundreds of events across the country. These events give leaders in business, labor, workforce, education and other critical industries the opportunity to showcase their Registered Apprenticeship programs, apprentices, and facilities to career seekers in their local communities. Additionally, apprentices have a platform to share their apprenticeship experience and how it has transformed their lives.
MCE's Apprenticeship Program
At Maryland Correctional Enterprises (MCE), we are transforming lives by providing structured programming to incarcerated individuals. We have 26 business units that provide various workforce development opportunities to men and women within Maryland's prison system. One of our business units in Hagerstown offers a meat-cutting apprenticeship program.
In partnership with the Maryland Department of Labor (DOL), MCE offers a meat-cutting apprenticeship program that provides participants with the following skills:
- Meat Cutting and Preparation
- Meat Packaging
- Culinary Math
- Federal Food Safety Regulations
- Merchandizing Techniques
- Workforce Preparation
This program began in 1994 and since then, 100+ men graduated the program and many have found employment at meat facilities in Maryland. In fact, many grocers have begun recruiting efforts directly from our apprenticeship program! View the video below to learn more about our apprenticeship program.
VIDEO: Apprenticeship Program Inside Look