July 18
North Shore Community College, with campuses in Danvers and Lynn, and the other 14 MA community colleges each received $735,000 from the Baker-Polito Administration in support of the creation and expansion of training programs in high-demand industries, such as healthcare, education, manufacturing, information technology and cybersecurity.
The funding will provide approximately 1,500 individuals, statewide, with specialized training at no cost. About one third of the grant funding will be allocated toward building capacity in training programs for the healthcare industry, which is in high demand across the Commonwealth. The funding was included in An Act Relative to Immediate COVID-19 Recovery Needs, which was signed by Governor Baker in December 2021.
“These grants complement our administration’s ongoing work to address the skills gap by building additional training capacity at all the Commonwealth’s community colleges so people have opportunities to gain hands-on skills and knowledge in growing industries,” said Governor Charlie Baker. “It is crucial that we provide more residents with quality training options and eliminate the gaps between what skills the Massachusetts workforce has, and what skills employers need.”
“We are so grateful to our community college partners who know that education is a lifelong journey and want to help provide individuals in our communities with the tools they need to achieve success in the Massachusetts’ workforce,” said Lieutenant Governor Karyn Polito. “These grants will enable more people to transition to new jobs in high-demand occupations where employers are hungry for talent.”
NSCC President Dr. William Heineman said, “We are extremely grateful to the administration and our legislative delegation for their commitment to making this vital funding possible. It will elevate individuals and families on the North Shore and provide the workforce that is so desperately needed by our employers.”
Dr. Dianne Palter Gill, Dean of the NSCC’s Division of Corporate and Professional Education noted that North Shore will use its funding to offer 75 seats in short term career training programs, with the current focus on nurse assistant/home health aide training. However, other free programs soon to be underway are community health worker and help desk support professional training.
“North Shore Community College will launch its first program this summer when we will offer a Nurse Assistant/Home Health Aide course which prepares students for the Commonwealth’s Nurse Assistant certification exam. All Nurse Assistants in Massachusetts must be certified by the state. The health care industry is in dire need of certified Nurse Assistants and this program gives people an opportunity to increase their skill level and grow professionally,” she added.
“The ability to offer this course, at no cost to the student, is a rare opportunity. Funds will cover the course fee, the state certification exam fee along with textbooks, uniform, tutoring, coaching, a stipend upon successful completion of the course and another stipend once the individual has secured a position as a Certified Nurse Assistant, and more,“ Palter Gill said.
The free Nurse Assistant/Home Health Aide course, beginning July 26will take place on NSCC’s Danvers campus. The next course, beginning September 12 , will take place on the Lynn campus.
For additional information please contact Denise Deschamps, Corporate and Professional Education Training Program Grant Manager. Deschamps may be reached by phone at 978-236-1203 or by email at ddescham@northshore.edu.
The training programs will strive to help populations who have traditionally experienced higher rates of unemployment and barriers to employment identified by the Black Advisory Commission and the Latino Advisory Commission, with priority given to those who are unemployed and underemployed