Equality Equation Infrastructure Academy
Baltimore Project

The labor market for construction is more challenged than it has ever been. There is a shortage of skilled labor which has put upward pressure on construction costs causing them to reach historic highs. Inversely, many Baltimore neighborhoods suffer from chronic underemployment due to a lack of a process at scale connecting individuals with training, and subsequently skilled employment.

Equality Equation, inspired by Principals Elizabeth and Pless Jones, goal is to facilitate economic, political, and social equality while stimulating economic development for distressed communities. This is accomplished by delivering high-quality education and workforce development opportunities which benefit disadvantaged individuals, communities, educational institutions, government, non-profit organizations, private industry, and investors.

Equality Equation will develop curricula and expand vocational educational programs for Baltimore City Schools and public housing residents, in addition to supporting the Baltimore Mayor’s Office of Employee Development’s Train Up program. In northeast Baltimore, the new facility will enable training for 1,600 students annually. While this represents a significant increase, the program will still only serve around 3% of those that are in need of educational programming in Baltimore.

Equality Equation is currently operating in Washington, D.C. and Baltimore, MD, where they have trained almost 200 citizens that all have interviewed for jobs. 95% have obtained employment in the skillset they were trained for. An agreement has been secured to expand into Richmond, VA, in partnership with Virginia Union University, a historically black university.