AAWDC is a leader in providing services to businesses and individuals to meet the workforce development needs of Anne Arundel County and the surrounding area. We have a growing presence nationally, as our innovative practices are recognized in areas such as sector strategies, regionalism, and wrap-around strategies. We use innovative practices and continuous improvement to train individuals with the technical and soft skills to be successful, and we partner with businesses to provide quality talent management services and ensure that cutting edge industry-specific training.
Sector Strategies
AAWDC has been a leader in sector strategies. Recognized nationally for our efforts, AAWDC has made numerous contributions in sector strategy approaches.
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Industry Sector Partnerships - AAWDC has led or engaged in regional industry sector partnerships in Cybersecurity, Construction, Green Careers, and Marine Sectors. Here our Chief Innovation Officer talk about our evolution in sector strategies on the Voices of Experience Podcast series.
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Industry Navigators – AAWDC developed a staffing model to address the unique needs of sectors strategies. Industry Navigators serve as subject matter experts in the industry and guides training, placement, and business service strategies to effectively align with industry needs. Listen to AAWDC discuss the model as part of Department of Labor’s Sector Strategies TA Initiatives.
Bridging the Skills Gap
AAWDC works to address both the technical and soft skills gap in our region for all job seekers.
- Soft Skills Development - AAWDC partnered with WorkNet Solutions (a nationally recognized workforce training company) to develop the Workplace Excellence Series. By teaching customers to put themselves in the shoes of the employer, AAWDC aims to cultivate the attitudes and behaviors that will increase success in obtaining and retaining employment through ten (10) flexible modules
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Integrated Learning Strategies - Anne Arundel County is on the cutting edge of career pathways development in Maryland. AAWDC partners with Anne Arundel Community College (AACC) to offer integrated learning opportunities that blends basic academic and occupational skills to help lower-skilled job seekers begin their career path based on the highly-acclaimed I-BEST model.
Wrap-Around Services
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Workforce Transportation - AAWDC is a national leader in workforce transportation efforts. Through a grant from the Maryland Transit Administration (MTA) and the Anne Arundel County Video Lottery Fund, AAWDC operates the Mobility Access Program (MAP) that connects transit-dependent job seekers to major employment sectors in Anne Arundel County. AAWDC has been a regional and national speaker as a model for Workforce Investment Board engagement in addressing transportation issues.
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Trauma-Informed Career Services - AAWDC understands the multiple challenges job seekers face in today’s market and works to address these employment barriers. AAWDC partners with Arundel Lodge, a national leader in trauma-informed care, to train staff members in the use of trauma-informed career services and to offer workshops to job seekers to address the emotional stress of long-term unemployment. AAWDC and Arundel Lodge served as subject matter experts in a Ready to Work grantee webinar on Mental Health Services for Job Seekers.
Consolidation of Local Workforce Programs
AAWDC is a model for consolidation of local workforce programs. Overseeing programs funded by Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), the Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation, Department of Social Services, and the Department of Detention Facilities, AAWDC provides an umbrella for county workforce initiatives, and ensures employment services are coordinated and integrated in Anne Arundel County.