In a state like Maryland, where unemployment is low and many industries are facing a labor shortage, it is important that low-income workers have opportunities to upgrade their skills in order to keep up with the demands of the changing economy and to meet the needs of employers.
While Maryland has a large proportion of highly educated people, many more workers have only a basic education. Almost 40% of Marylanders have no more than a high school education, and 13% have not even completed high school.
JOTF focuses on “special populations” because distinct and large numbers of individuals continue to be added to them each year in the Baltimore area; high social and economic costs are imposed on them, their families, their communities, and the region; and we do not yet implement adequate preventive and remedial measures to help them realize their full economic potential.
