Baker-Polito
Administration Awards $11.8 Million in Workforce Skills Capital Grants
20 educational
institutions receiving first-time awards for equipment upgrades, expanded
career and skill-building programs
LOWELL – The Baker-Polito Administration today awarded $11.8 million
in Workforce Skills Capital Grants to 32 vocational schools, community
colleges, and traditional public high schools, which will use the funds to
purchase vocational technical equipment and expand skills training programs for
careers in growing industries. Twenty institutions are first-time recipients of
the Workforce Skills Capital Grants.
“These investments have a major impact for the educational
institutions training our workforce and the students who stand to benefit from
enhanced skills and career paths,” said Governor Charlie Baker.
“Strengthening relationships between educational institutions and local
industry as this program seeks to do is crucial to the success of our
communities and Commonwealth as a whole.”
The Workforce Skills Capital Grants program was created by the
Baker-Polito Administration last year to assist educational institutions in
demonstrating partnerships with industry and aligning curriculum and
credentials with local businesses’ demand, maximizing planning objectives and
hiring or internship opportunities regionally.
“We are pleased these investments are already benefitting students
and adult learners across our Commonwealth,” said Lt. Governor Karyn Polito.
“The training students receive on the most up-to-date equipment purchased with
these grants makes all the difference to them when they go into the
workplace.”
To date, the Baker-Polito Administration has awarded more than $24
million in Workforce Skills Capital Grants to 63 different institutions,
improving programs that impact more than 7,100 students per year. The economic
development bill signed by Governor Baker last year includes $45 million for
the awards over the next three years to increase the capacity and quality of
vocational educational programs.
Governor Baker today visited Greater Lowell Technical High School
to announce the latest round of grant awardees. Greater Lowell Technical
received $466,000 to create an Agile Digital Fabrication/Maker Space where high school and adult education
students will engage in technological experimentation, hardware development,
and idea prototyping.
The Governor was joined by the Workforce Skills Cabinet he
established shortly after taking office, consisting of Labor and Workforce
Development Secretary Ronald L. Walker, II, Education Secretary James Peyser,
and Housing and Economic Development Secretary Jay Ash. The Cabinet, which
seeks to align education, workforce and economic development strategies and
improve job opportunities, worked to establish the Workforce Skills Capital
Grant Program.
“In the Workforce Skills Cabinet, we are focused on making sure
residents have access to education and training that aligns with industry
demand so all Massachusetts residents have an opportunity to be successful,” said
Labor and Workforce Development Secretary Ronald L. Walker, II. “These
grants enable educational institutions to partner with local businesses to give
their students a jump-start on careers.”
“The goal of these grants is to update capital equipment, expand
capacity, and launch new programs at educational institutions in order to
create high-quality career pathways for more people across the Commonwealth,” said
Education Secretary James Peyser. “These grants give students and adult
learners more opportunities to be successful through training, education and
experience in fields that are growing and in-demand.”
“The best way to support our local and regional economies, and to
grow our companies, is to foster a workforce that is ready for the jobs of
today and tomorrow,” said Housing and Economic Development Secretary Jay
Ash. “These grants will help us to continue training the nation’s most
competitive workforce, by training students on industry-standard equipment and
processes, and creating new employment opportunities for students and adult
learners throughout the Commonwealth.”
Workforce Skills Capital Grant Awardees:
Blackstone
Valley Vocational Regional School District: $500,000 - The school will upgrade
equipment used in 12 programs, including health services, manufacturing, and
multi-media communications.
Brockton High
School: $495,674 – The
school will purchase equipment for computer aided design, 3-D printing,
robotics, and artificial intelligence.
Bunker Hill
Community College: $386,540 - The
College will create a new laboratory dedicated solely to engineering. The
new laboratory will make it possible to expand the program’s academic
offerings, including the Engineering Transfer Option Associates degree
program.
Cape Cod
Community College: $350,059 – Cape
Cod Community College will expand the Nursing and Allied Health Learning Center
in partnership with Cape Cod Health Care, including $1.15 million in a private
match funding.
Center for
Manufacturing Technology: $167,296 - The Center for Manufacturing Technology will
purchase a new milling machine and add upgrades to existing equipment.
The new machinery will provide capacity to increase enrollment and will ensure
students gain experience with state-of-the-art equipment during training.
Dighton-Rehoboth
Regional High School: $492,519 - The school will expand a “green” lab
instructional space. This lab space will contain a variety of “energy” centers
that allow students to manipulate interior and exterior climate environments, and
these relationships, to a variety of building materials, surfaces and outdoor
environments.
Essex Technical
High School: $244,219 - The
school will provide capacity to expand enrollments in the EMT/CPR day and
evening programs. The equipment will support students to obtain industry
recognized certifications that prepare them for jobs as nursing assistants,
dental assistants, as well as post-secondary educational opportunities.
Franklin County
Technical School: $55,000 - The
school will upgrade its welding program to industry standard by purchasing
digitalized readout and gauges, safety technologies, and instructional
equipment. The funds will be matched dollar-for-dollar by the schools’
member towns.
Gloucester High
School: $499,634 –
Gloucester High School will revamp its machine technology program by updating
equipment to industry standards. The equipment will also be integrated into
computer science, CAD, robotics, and engineering classes.
Greater Lowell
Technical High School: $466,000 – The school will create an Agile Digital
Fabrication/Maker Space where high school and adult education students will
engage in technological experimentation, hardware development, and idea
prototyping. This space will provide high production, finish level, and product
design 3D printing capability.
Greenfield
Community College: $496,113 – The
college will upgrade its Manufacturing and Engineering Science, Engineering
Technology, and Computer Science and Networking programs. New equipment will be
purchased for the advanced manufacturing computer lab, acoustic engineering
lab, as well as a coordinate measuring machine, electrical controls, materials
testing, and CNC simulation and 3D printing equipment.
Lower Pioneer
Valley Educational Collaborative: $410,230 - The educational collaborative will
integrate the Graphics and Visual Design programs, allowing students to explore
and understand the entire industry continuum from design to press and online
production.
Lynn Vocational
Technical Institute: $333,293 – The school will modernize its current
Advanced Manufacturing-Machine Technology program, as well as create a new
Information Technology program. These new high-level skills training programs
will be offered to high schools students and adult learners. Additionally, the
programs will serve as a resource to introduce younger students in middle
school to career pathways.
MassBay
Community College: $318,547 – Mass
Bay Community College will purchase equipment to train students in engineering,
advanced manufacturing, nursing, emergency medical services, and automotive
technology career fields. Students in these programs represent not only
traditional college-aged students, but are also unemployed and underemployed
adult workers, career-changers, and others seeking new skill sets.
Massasoit
Community College: $500,000 - The
College will purchase equipment for an updated engineering lab that supports
four engineering degree options: chemical, civil, electrical and mechanical
program tracks.
McCann Technical
School: $131,976- The
school will upgrade equipment for the carpentry, electrical, and machine
programs. The equipment will support students to prepare to take the
MACWIC Level I certification examinations.
Medford
Technical High School: $500,000 – The school will expand the existing Culinary
Arts, Engineering, Robotics, and Metal Fabrication programs and add a
Hospitality program. As part of this expansion, the Culinary Arts and
Hospitality program will double the size of its space and add a full-service
dining room, executive conference center, café, and commercial kitchen.
Middlesex
Community College: $489,750 – The
College will increase capacity and improve equipment in computer science,
engineering, and engineering tech/CAD programs. Students prepare for Certified
Computer Examiner (CCE) exams, and graduates may transfer to bachelor degree
programs.
Minuteman High
School: $500,000 – The
high school will increase machining and ancillary training simulator capacity
used to teach Advanced Manufacturing. The new equipment will support
student instruction in bio-manufacturing, digital fabrication, precision
measurement, and quality control.
Montachusett
Regional Vocational Technical School: $435,857 – The school will build upon its existing
machine technology program capacity by adding two certificates, outfit a
quality control lab, and offer evening courses. The equipment will support the
school in becoming one of the first NC3 Manufacturing Certification Centers in
Massachusetts.
Mount Wachusett
Community College: $340,781 – The
College will purchase equipment needed for a simulated veterinary technician
training laboratory. Students will benefit from simulator-based instruction,
and the discipline of a sterile classroom environment focused on animal anatomy
and physiology prior to interacting with live animals during their clinical and
internship rotations.
Nashoba Valley
Technical High School: $500,000 – The school will create an innovative training
environment with a specific focus on collaborative robots (collabots) for
students in the Robotics & Automation program. Equipment will also
serve as an instructional resource for students in the Engineering,
Biotechnology, and Manufacturing programs. New equipment will provide
capacity for students to become certified in the Manufacturing Skills Standards
Council production technician program as well as Fanuc’s collaborative robot
system.
North Shore
Community College: $111,455 - The
College will purchase equipment to create a health care technical education
program, including a universal health lab at the Lynn campus. The lab will be
used for various degree, and workforce training health care certification
programs, such as Certified Nurse Assistant/Home Health Aide, Dental Assistant,
EKG Technician, and Phlebotomy.
Northern Essex
Community College: $500,000 – The
College will launch a new Advanced Manufacturing program in Mechatronics and a
new Culinary Arts program. NECC has developed a partnership with Whittier
Regional Vocational Technical High School in manufacturing and with Endicott
College to offer a hospitality and culinary arts career pathway.
Old Colony
Regional Vocational Technical High School District: $362,860 - The school district will upgrade
both the Machine & Tool Technology and House & Mill Carpentry
programs. The equipment includes both in classroom and portable equipment
for use on remote job sites.
Pathfinder
Regional Vocational Technical High School: $235,000 - The school will purchase new
equipment for the Machine Technology program, and will offer a new evening
training program to provide instruction to the unemployed and underemployed
individuals in three countries. The evening classes will prepare students to
take the MACWIC Level 1 certification exam.
Plymouth Public
Schools: $52,844 – The
school district will purchase medical assisting and health assisting
instructional equipment including a 'Nursing Anne' patient simulator.
With the equipment, the school will be able to provide instruction to award
eight types of industry credentials.
Quincy Public
Schools: $74,712 - The
school district will establish a new Information Technology Program. New
equipment will help train students for entry-level computer repair, technical
and help desk support, and network associate careers. Students will be
prepared to pass the CompTia A+ Certification Edam, OSHA General Safety, and
CISCO CCENT industry certification exams.
The Shawsheen
Valley Regional Vocational Technical: $500,000 - The school is conducting a major
modernization of its Machine Technology program. The equipment includes
3D printers, and vertical machining centers each equipped with simulators.
South Regional Technical School
District-Keefe Technical High School: $397,150
- Keefe Regional Technical School will roll out a new Dental Assisting
Program, purchasing dental chairs, panoramic X-ray technology, including
development capability, Sterilizers and autoclaves.
Whitter Regional Vocational Technical High School: $500,000 -
The school will transform its current Machine and Tool program into an
Advanced Manufacturing program to better support regional workforce needs. The
school is partnering with Northern Essex Community College, and with the
Northeast Advanced Manufacturing Consortium, for evening adult programs.
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