The Maryland Department of Labor announced Friday the Cyber and Artificial Intelligence Clinic Grant, the first program of its kind in the state. The initiative will fund up to $500,000 each for colleges, nonprofits, workforce training providers and apprenticeship sponsors to open cyber and AI clinics.
The clinics will train workers for both technical and non-technical jobs in cybersecurity, from engineers and analysts to compliance and risk managers, while providing digital security services to community institutions.
“Cyber clinics provide exciting opportunities for learners to gain real-world skills that lead to family-sustaining careers, while providing local schools, small businesses, and hospitals with cutting-edge cyber protection,” Labor Secretary Portia Wu said in a statement.
State officials said the program is meant to fill thousands of vacant cybersecurity jobs each year and prepare workers for an era when artificial intelligence is reshaping both cyber attacks and defenses.
Grant recipients must train at least 100 cyber professionals annually between 2027 and 2029. They will also be required to use AI in training and service delivery, ensuring participants gain familiarity with emerging tools.
“This initiative puts AI into practice by preparing Marylanders for the jobs of the future while delivering real protections to the places that need them most urgently,” Seeyew Mo of Cyber Maryland said in a statement.
Applications are due Dec. 10. Awards will be announced in January, with grants running from Feb. 1, 2026, through Jan. 31, 2029. A pre-proposal conference is set for Oct. 15.
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