MC Trains Career Counselors for Maryland Blueprint Program

In partnership with Montgomery County Public Schools and WorkSource Montgomery, Montgomery College is supporting the Montgomery County Career Advising Program (MoCo CAP) initiative, a plan to help K-12 students better understand the workforce, match their own skills to careers, and achieve their educational and employment goals.  

To meet Blueprint for Maryland’s Future objectives to improve public school educational outcomes, the Montgomery County Career Advising Program (MoCo CAP) is placing 50 new career advisers in every MCPS middle, high, and special school throughout the county, ultimately reaching nearly 90,000 students. Montgomery College is supporting the initiative by providing training for the new advisers as well as hosting activities for students on campus.  

In collaboration with MCPS and WorkSource Montgomery (WSM), MC will provide an 80-hour professional development training for the 50 career advisers. The training began last fall with recruits meeting every week; it runs through June.  

“The career advisers will play a different role than traditional school counselors,” said Steve Greenfield, interim vice president/provost, applied technologies, Gudelsky Institute for Technical Education, and Workforce Development and Continuing Education. “They will focus on career readiness for students, whether they are going from school-to-career or school-to-college.”  

In fall 2023, MC hired faculty and shaped the training program’s curriculum with input from Professors Tonya Mason and Zenobia Garrison. The result is a program that prepares the career advisers to expertly guide MCPS students toward Montgomery College programs for post-secondary training and education that aligns with their personal objectives. 

“Montgomery College is proud to be partnering with MCPS and WSM on this exciting career coaching program,” said MC President Jermaine F. Williams. “All students in K-12 schools deserve to be introduced to career pathways early so they can consider which post-secondary education path will benefit them. MC is thrilled to advance equitable access to career planning, in keeping with the goals of the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future.” 

In addition to the career advisers in schools, MoCo CAP will also provide activities for 6th through 12th graders where they encounter Montgomery College. MCPS has requested MC host 12,000 6th graders on campus starting in the spring 2025 semester. MCPS will transport students to an MC campus, where they will participate in fun educational activities.  

Ultimately, students will be able to learn more about the workplace so they can make decisions about where they want to go and how Montgomery College can help them get there.