BALTIMORE, MD — September 15, 2026 — Danko Arlington, Inc., a Baltimore manufacturer specializing in nonferrous castings, patternmaking, and machining, today announced that the Maryland Apprenticeship and Training Council has approved the addition of eight new occupations to the company’s registered apprenticeship standards (MATC #262). The Council approved the revision on September 8, 2026, and the Maryland Department of Labor’s Office of Apprenticeship confirmed the approval in a letter dated September 15, 2026.
The newly approved occupations are:
• Aluminum Casting Inspector
• Casting Pourer
• Foundry Welder
• Grinder and Sawer
• Heat Treater and Straightener
• Industry X-ray Operator
• Liquid Penetrant Inspector
• Molder and Coremaker
The expansion builds on one of Maryland’s longest-running apprenticeship programs. Danko Arlington first registered its apprenticeship standards on December 12, 1940, and has trained skilled tradespeople in Baltimore for more than eight decades.
“Every casting that leaves our shop depends on skilled people at every step, from the furnace to final inspection,” said John D. Danko, President of Danko Arlington. “Registering these occupations gives our team a clear, recognized path to build those skills, earn as they learn, and grow with the company.”
A Competency-Based Path Into Foundry Careers
Each new occupation follows a competency-based format. Apprentices advance by demonstrating mastery of defined skills rather than simply logging time. Programs combine structured on-the-job training with related technical instruction delivered through SME’s Tooling U and the American Foundry Society. Most occupations are designed for 2,000 hours of on-the-job training; the Casting Pourer program runs 4,000 hours.
Competency areas are tailored to each role. The Aluminum Casting Inspector program, for example, covers blueprint reading and GD&T to ASME Y14.5, precision measurement and calibration, visual defect recognition, critical-characteristics verification, portable coordinate measuring machines and photogrammetry, and material and mechanical testing. The Casting Pourer program covers molten-metal safety, furnace preparation and operation, chemistry control, degassing, mold readiness, and pouring operations.
Apprentices earn progressive wage increases as they complete each competency, and they bear no cost for their instruction or training.
Johns Hopkins Intern Played Key Role
Much of the detailed documentation required for state approval was developed with help from Anna Bloch, a Johns Hopkins University Undergraduate Mechanical Engineering student who served as Danko Arlington’s 2026 Summer Intern and is now a Junior. Working alongside company leadership, Bloch helped create the competency grids, training-hour breakdowns, related-instruction outlines, and wage schedules that accompanied the application.
“Anna brought real engineering rigor to this project,” said Danko. “She took the knowledge our experienced people carry in their heads and turned it into structured training standards the State could review and approve. That work will shape how we train people for years to come.”
©2026