Maryland GEAR UP Workforce Employability and Leadership Skills Program (WELSP)

Overview:  The Workforce Employability and Leadership Skills Program (WELSP) centers on career exploration and educational planning that promotes self-efficacy, supports the advance of leadership curricula, connects youth to professional sectors, and offers the opportunity to build transferable skills required to secure and sustain employment. WELSP has a strong focus of outlining the benefits of postsecondary education, and is designed to train students to understand their core values, sharpen their soft skills, set obtainable goals, and hone their interests and leadership capacities through career and job exploration. 

Funded Activities: The GEAR UP Workforce Employability and Leadership Skills Program supports Maryland’s GEAR UP goals and objectives to increase the number of economically disadvantaged students who intend to pursue postsecondary education. Funded activities are intended to provide in-school soft skill and leadership workshops, career exploration counseling, summer programs, and workplace readiness training and youth employment, while educating students and their families about the advantage of postsecondary education and college financing options. ​

Eligibility: An accredited public or not for profit independent two- or four-year Institution of Higher Education (IHE) in partnership with Local Education Agency (LEA).

Service Regions: Maryland GEAR UP school districts: Baltimore City, Dorchester, and Wicomico counties. 

Project Period: November 23, 2020 to September 15, 2021.  
Please contact Priscilla Moore at priscilla.moore@maryland.gov​ with questions.

Phone: 410-767-7269

FY2021

FY2020

Forms

Final Report​​ (pdf) 

FY Project Abstracts

FY 2020​ (pdf)

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