Apprenticeship program opens doors for students looking to take the next step

Giving young people options, opportunity and hope. That’s what this tour is about here at the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers training facility in Southwest Baltimore.

Kayden Smith is part of a two-day youth apprenticeship program with Youthworks and Banner Neighborhoods.

“I loved it,” Smith says. “When I found out we were coming here, I was really excited and this solidified my excitement.”

And they heard from one of their own, state Sen. Cory McCray. He represents East and Northeast Baltimore. And he’s a journeyman electrician. He graduated from this electrical apprenticeship program in 2008.

“I wanted to figure out a way out of my neighborhood and change the circumstances that I grew up in, for not just myself but also for my family,” McCray says.

He took them to some of the training areas, and students got to try out some of the equipment electricians use.

McCray told the students that a career as an electrician provides good pay and benefits. And the ability to do repairs in your own home. That appealed to Smith, a junior at ConneXtions School in Baltimore.

“What did excite me was the whole, I’m pretty sure McCray said that he doesn’t hire anyone to fix anything in his house since he has that knowledge,” Smith says. “And I don’t really want to pay anyone to fix anything in my house if I can fix it on my own.”

Smith says he had already planned to go to some type of trade school instead of college. Right now, he says the electrical apprenticeship is at the top of his list.