Last month, representatives of Project JumpStart made a presentation to ABC’s National Board of Directors on how they can start a program in their respective chapters. Successful pilots have already been planted in the Ohio Valley and Metro Washington Chapters. The 90-hour pre-apprenticeship program was launched 10 years ago by ABC Baltimore in the footprint of Johns Hopkins Hospital. Today, it holds classes in multiple locations across the City.
ABC’s national board of directors was shown Project JumpStart’s video with Mike Rowe and heard from Toemore Knight, a JumpStart graduate, about his journey through the program. The presentation was well received by the board and Toemore received a standing ovation after his story. Chapters in Tennessee and Delaware are now exploring the adoption of a similar pilot program.
“We are so pleased that other ABC chapters see the value in Project JumpStart and that they want to help make a difference in their community,” said Matt Bolyard, ABC Baltimore’s Chairman of the Board. “There is so much untapped talent in cities and this program provides opportunities to grow and expand in the trades.”