Sagamore Development Company Release:
Sagamore Development Company today announced it has successfully launched the Manufacturing Bootcamp; a first step toward creating a world-class, employer driven, workforce development system. This first-of-its-kind workforce development program, led by The Foundery and the Center for Urban Families (CFUF), celebrated the graduation of its inaugural class last week.
Sponsored by Sagamore Development, Whiting-Turner, and The Commercial Group, the Manufacturing Bootcamp was created as a result of Sagamore Development engaging with The Foundery and CFUF to create a program that offers Baltimore-area residents general knowledge on a broad range of skills, and provides context and exposure to trades for participants to be better equipped to explore job opportunities in manufacturing.
The Foundery and the Center for Urban Families hand-selected the participants for the program’s inaugural class. Beginning in November, the seven-week program required participants to take classes from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., four days a week at The Foundery, located at City Garage in Port Covington. Classes focused on a wide variety of skills, including woodworking, welding, CNC (computer numerically controlled) machinery, textiles, 3D printing, and more. In the final week, participants chose a specialized manufacturing skill to learn more about and to use to complete a final project.
On January 5, a small ceremony was held at The Foundery to celebrate the conclusion of the program. In attendance were local employers, who had the opportunity to meet with program participants, view final projects and discuss potential employment. All eight participants received job offers following the event and will begin work in their new positions this week.
“The Foundery’s mission is to provide community access to industrial-grade tools and training, and it was a tremendous opportunity to partner with CFUF to develop our Manufacturing Bootcamp,” said Jason Hardebeck, CEO of the Foundery. “We’re incredibly proud to celebrate the graduation of our first cohort, the Elite 8, who have completed this one-of-a-kind introduction to practical, hands-on fabrication processes.”
CFUF’s mission is to strengthen urban communities by helping fathers and families achieve stability and economic success. Since 1999, CFUF has helped over 27,000 vulnerable Baltimoreans receive services from the organization’s various programs. CFUF provides the bridge that many need to attain stability while being a national leader on responsible fatherhood, workforce development, strengthening urban families and black male achievement.
Re-opened at City Garage in Port Covington in 2015, The Foundery provides community access to state-of-the-art industrial-grade tools, education, and workforce development opportunities.
With the support of Sagamore Development, Whiting-Turner, and The Commercial Group, The Foundery and CFUF created a program that affords participants a membership to The Foundery and a stipend to purchase supplies or to take additional classes. As members of The Foundery, participants had full access to the maker space during business hours and many chose to use the membership to stay after class to work on projects, or network and collaborate with members outside of the program. While the first class was a small pilot of eight candidates, they have paved the way for others who will have the opportunity to develop trade skills through scholarships at The Foundery. The Manufacturing Bootcamp is the first of many programs that will support Sagamore Development’s goal of leveraging the massive redevelopment at Port Covington to benefit Baltimore City residents.
