July 25
Seated - NSCC President Pat Gentile and Bob Dame, Year Up Executive Director. Standing L-R: Senator Brendan Creighton, Sarah Link, Vice President of Community Impact,
United Way of Massachusetts Bay and Merrimack Valley; Laura Kurzrok, former Executive
Director, Eastern Bank Charitable Foundation; Mary Sarris, Executive Director, North
Shore Workforce Board; Binkley Shorts, Philanthropist; Danielson Gomes, Information
Systems Analyst, American Tower (alumnus of NSCC andYear Up); Dr. Patrick Tutwiler, Superintendent, Lynn Public Schools; Thomas McGee, Mayor,
City of Lynn; and Colin Codner, Executive Director, Lynn Area Chamber of Commerce;
North Shore Community College (NSCC) and Year Up Greater Boston are collaborating to launch a joint program this fall that will combine education with professional skills training, internship opportunities and wrap-around support for underserved youth ages 18-24.
To be based on the college’s Lynn campus, the Year Up Professional Training Corps program at NSCC will be launched in September 2019 with classes to begin in January 2020. Significant work to move the partnership forward is already underway and a formal Memo of Understanding was recently signed during a public ceremony.
The collaboration will fully integrate NSCC’s excellence in academic instruction and student support with YU’s proven professional skills training, access to corporate partners for internship opportunities and wrap-around support. Year Up’s mission is to close the “Opportunity Divide” by ensuring that young adults gain the skills, experiences, and support that will empower them to reach their potential through careers and higher education.
Throughout the year, students will earn college credits and a weekly financial stipend. Participants will also receive one semester of free technical and professional skills classes, followed by a semester-long internship at a top area business.
NSCC President Dr. Patricia A. Gentile noted, “NSCC's award winning academic programs and welcoming, nurturing environment sets the stage for true collaboration with excellent career-focused organizations like Year Up. This workforce collaboration will make a huge difference in the lives of many NSCC students and, I expect, will open doors to self-sustaining careers and life-long learning opportunities in the North Shore region and beyond. Adding Year Up's impressive program and practices to NSCC's existing offerings will elevate the impact of what we can do individually and add value for our students, business partners, community organizations and the North Shore economy.”
For more information on Year Up at NSCC contact Jill Thornton, NSCC Dean of Strategic Partnerships, at jthornto@northshore.edu or Michael Goldstein at YU at mgoldstein@yearup.org.