SewLab USA, Made In Baltimore, and Open Works partnered to create a workforce development program to help meet the growing demand for skilled industrial sewers and machine operators in the Baltimore area. The 12-week program trained a cohort of people in the skills most needed by Baltimore’s clothing, uniform, upholstery, and other soft goods manufacturers, as determined by a committee of these employers. The program included soft and hard skills training, site visits and temporary placements at operating businesses, and culminate in the production of a product run for a local client.

Trainees in the program made a production run of dopp kits, pouches, totes, and backpacks below: