In this title the following words have the meanings indicated. “Department” means the Maryland Department of Labor. “Secretary” means the Secretary of Labor.

There is a Division of Workforce Development and Adult Learning within the Maryland Department of Labor. The Division has the powers, duties, responsibilities, and functions provided in the laws of this State. The Division has the general purpose of advancing the economic welfare of the people by coordinating the State’s public and private resources for adult learning, employment, and job training.

The Division shall: promote apprenticeship and training programs; administer job training, placement, and service programs; implement the provisions of the federal Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act; administer adult education and literacy services programs; conduct educational and job skills training programs in adult correctional facilities; oversee any other units established pursuant to State or federal employment, training, or manpower statutes; administer those programs assigned to the Division by law or designated by the Secretary; administer any community service employment programs delegated to the State under Title V of the federal Older Americans Act of 1965; and adopt regulations to carry out Subtitle 4 of this title. The Division shall meet and confer on a regular basis with representatives of the State’s community colleges, appointed by the Maryland Association of Community Colleges, and the adult education community, appointed by the Maryland Association for Adult Continuing and Community Education, to assure that adult education and literacy services and job training activities and resources are effectively coordinated. The Division shall partner with State departments and their exclusive representatives to identify opportunities to create registered apprenticeship programs to help address workforce shortages and the career workforce needs of those departments. The Division and Department of Budget and Management shall develop position classifications, which would include incremental salary adjustments, for employees who are selected to participate in the registered apprenticeship programs created under paragraph (1) of this subsection. In accordance with the identification of apprenticeship programs under subsection (c) of this section, the Division shall identify opportunities to create registered apprenticeship programs, including goals for the number of apprenticeships registered each year, to help address the career workforce needs of the State. On or before June 30 each year, the Division shall report to the General Assembly, in accordance with § 2–1257 of the State Government Article, the following information for the immediately preceding calendar year: a list of agencies that the Division partnered with to: identify workforce shortages; and create registered apprenticeship programs; the number and type of registered apprenticeship programs that exist for State positions; and the progress in reaching the goals established under subsection (d) of this section.

For the purpose of establishing compensation rates and basic rates for vacation and sick leave credit earnings, professional personnel who were employed by a county school system or the public library system in the State and who are subsequently appointed to positions in the Department to provide services in accordance with Subtitles 8 and 9 of this title shall be given credit as employees of the Department for their years of service as employees of the county school system or the public library system from which they transferred.

In this section, “Accountability and Implementation Board” means the Accountability and Implementation Board established under § 5–402 of the Education Article. For fiscal years 2022 through 2031, the Division shall pursue federal grant money for apprenticeship programs to be used: for grants to apprentice sponsors to create, expand, and improve registered apprenticeship programs; and to cover the cost of the State apprenticeship tax credit under § 10–742 of the Tax – General Article. On or before December 31, 2021, the Division shall present a 10–year plan to pursue federal grant money under subsection (b) of this section to the Governor’s Workforce Development Board, the Accountability and Implementation Board, and, in accordance with § 2–1257 of the State Government Article, the Senate Budget and Taxation Committee and the House Committee on Ways and Means.