We are proud to announce that our Chesapeake Glazing Apprenticeship Program has officially been approved by the Maryland Department of Labor. This is a milestone that represents both an investment in the future and a response to a critical industry challenge. Across the construction sector, nearly 40 percent of the skilled workforce is expected to retire within the next two decades. For specialty trades like glazing, this shift threatens to leave a significant gap in experience, craftsmanship, and technical capability.
Choosing to Lead Rather Than React
Rather than wait for that shortage to deepen, Chesapeake Glazing has chosen to act with intention. We have developed a comprehensive apprenticeship program that delivers deep, competency-based training in every major system glaziers touch: aluminum storefronts, curtain walls, window walls, entrance systems, and aluminum windows. Apprentices will learn the full cycle of the trade, from shop fabrication to field installation, glazing techniques, hardware adjustments, sealant application, troubleshooting, and quality control.
Our mission is simple: Prepare the next generation with the skills, confidence, and understanding needed to succeed on the jobsite and uphold the standards of the glazing trade.
A Personal Mission Rooted in Opportunity
For our President, Michael O’Neal, this program holds personal significance. He began his career in construction as a young man, long before he knew the opportunities the industry would provide. Glazing became more than a job. It became the foundation of a life, a career, and a way to provide for his family. His experience represents what is possible for those who enter the trade, especially individuals who may not realize that a fulfilling and stable career exists in a field they’ve never been introduced to. This apprenticeship program was built to open that door. To show youth entering the world, that glazing is a path worth pursuing and that craftsmanship still matters.
Investing in People, Craft, and the Future
Chesapeake Glazing sees this program as both a responsibility and an opportunity: to preserve the knowledge of its seasoned professionals, to elevate the standards of the glazing workforce, and to give motivated individuals a real chance to build a meaningful future.
We look forward to welcoming our first class of apprentices and shaping the skilled professionals who will build the next chapter of this industry.
If you’re ready to join Chesapeake Glazing, a company committed to developing skilled talent and shaping the future of the glazing industry, visit here to learn more.
